


The Broken Mould; Black And White

by Sandsstill



Series: The Broken Mould [2]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Zootopia (City)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:33:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 79,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27863117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandsstill/pseuds/Sandsstill
Summary: To find a future, you have to live in the moment. To live in the moment; you must know and understand the past...There are only two things in the world that are truly Black and White; Life, and Death.
Relationships: Family - Relationship
Series: The Broken Mould [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1189672
Comments: 8
Kudos: 6





	1. A Lion Kissed A Deer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ughh been fighting with trying to get the art up for an hour-

****

**A Lion Kissed a Deer 2004**

Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken; Pink

Nick laughed as Finnick tilted his head to one side. The young red fox was wiping his eyes as Finnick rammed his elbow into his brother's shin. He kept his eyes locked on the young vixen who was walking away as Nick hopped all over the place beside him, rubbing at his calf and trying not to fall over laughing. Nick dropped his paws to his knees and bent over laughing as Finnick turned, narrowing his eyes. "Asshole." He spat as Nick fell over laughing.

"That had to be the worst pickup line I’ve ever heard! I mean seriously, Finnick. Did you really think a vixen like her would fall for something that cheesy?" Nick cackled as he clutched his sides and Finnick rolled his eyes as his brother started changing colors from the lack of oxygen he couldn't pull into his lungs from laughing so hard.

"I meant every word of it." Finnick grinned from ear to ear as the young vixen looked back at him and smiled as she swished her tail a few times. "WOOF." He shouted as she giggled and shook her head. Nick was still hissing until he looked back at the vixen, who had stopped mid stride and turned back their direction. The young vixen was a sand fox and had told them she was visiting the city with her parents. Nick's face fell into shock as she walked back to his brother. She gave Nick a small glance as his jaw dropped, while Finnick had a lopsided grin on half his face. Nick could only blink as the vixen leaned into Finnick's ear and the smaller fox's smile kept getting wider as she pulled away still smiling at him. "Yep, I will." He nodded as she tipped her head to one side and Nick's eyes went to saucers as she leaned in. The young red fox could only gape as the two small foxes shared a passionate kiss that left his jaw on the floor.

The young vixen stood, and appeared to be trying to catch her breath as Finnick lowered his head and bounced his brow a few times. She ran her finger over his nose and Nick shook his head as Finnick closed his eyes and lifted his nose in the air as if sucking in a scent on the wind. Nick was certain his jaw had gone through the pavement as she stood in front of Finnick biting her lip. "So, eight tonight? Right?" Finnick nodded and she giggled before she turned. He kept an eye on her tail and his chest popped out when she looked back again, before she disappeared around a corner.

"WHAT THE HELL, FINNICK!" Nick shouted as his brother turned to him chuckling. The red fox threw his paws out and shook his head as Finnick snickered and scratched his nose. "No way! She didn't?" Finnick was hissing as he looked back to Nick and lifted both brows in an exuberant display of 'I told you so," before running his tongue over his nose while Nick tried to pull some kind of sanity back to his brain. He shook his head as his lips curled under. "No way. I don't believe it. This is another one of your mind games and you're trying to hustle me."

Finnick shrugged as he went back to the cart their popsicles were resting in. "Don't matter if you believe it or not, Nick. It is what it is." Nick curled one side of his lip up before he snatched the smaller fox. "I don't believe you, there is no way she would have let…you." His eyes widened as his face got closer to the small fox and his nostrils flared, he dropped Finnick like a dead weight as his brother set a smug grin on his face.

"How the hell did that work? And how the hell did she d- Nope- Don't answer that- I don't want to know." Finnick snickered as Nick scrunched up his nose and waved his paws around as if to stop an oncoming bullet that you couldn't dodge. "I don't get it, Finnick. We’re only supposed to have one mate and that’s the third girl I’ve seen you…." Nick shook his head as he took a stand beside their cooler again.

"Who said anything about a mate? What can I say? I got game, you don't." Nick scowled at him as he snickered again.

"Well we aren't supposed to be doing _that_ with someone we aren't mated with!" Nick tried to protest as Finnick rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Who said anything about mating? That aint what I offered her. There's lots of other ways to have some fun."

Nick looked off at an angle and shook his head as Finnick stepped back into his sales mammal pitch. "Well what the heck are you doing with them then?"

Finnick huffed as he turned again and stared at him in a flat faced deadpan, almost falling over laughing as Nick's eye twitched. "Come on, Nick. You been going out with Skye for what…almost four years? You can't tell me you two aint never fooled around or done…" his face twisted as Nick scratched at one of his arms in an uncomfortable grimace. "Holy shit sickles, Nick! What the hell is the matter with you?"

Nick pulled his shoulders into his cheeks as his teeth locked together. "I just don't know if she’s the one?"

"Screw the one crap, Nick. You aint gotta do _that_ , to have fun! Ain't you doin anything to make her feel …" His face twisted again and his lips fell into a deep frown as Nick looked off and pinned his ears to his head. "For fox's sake Nick, I'm only thirteen and you ain't even stuck your fingers in the pudding yet?"

"Gods you are so gross! How can you relate everything back to food somehow?" the red fox spat as he shook himself. Nick cringed and tried to pull his mind out of the imagery Finnick had just stuck in his head. 

Finnick shook his head and sighed. "I like food, and I like girls. Ain't nothing gross about it, Nick. No wonder she's always hanging all over you like that."

Nick frowned as he stuck his paws on his hips. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Look, girls ain’t that hard to figure out, and they aint that hard to make happy. You just gotta pay attention and listen. Obviously, you ain't getting the message and what everyone has been seeing ain't what they think it is. She ain't hanging all over you cause you're making her feel good and keeping her happy, she's hanging all over you begging for you to."

Nick looked off shaking his head as his tail slashed around behind him. "Finnick, Dad's gonna kill you if he finds out you are using these girls. You shouldn't even be fooling around at all at your age, or theirs!"

"Using them?! I ain’t using them! Damn, Nick... if you’d ever fooled around with your _girlfriend_ , you'd know it wasn't about that. It's about that look they get, it's about watching someone you like or may be considering as something more feel good. It ain’t about sex. And I aint the only one my age fooling around - stupid."

Nick shook his head as he plopped on the ground beside his brother. "I'm stupid? That's rich, you big dummy. Dad finds out about any of this and you won't have to worry about it happening again because he'll kill you. Better yet if one of their dad’s finds out about it, you'll be in even more trouble. Besides, have you seen the way mammals have started looking at us when we’re together, Finnick? Have you heard some of the things they’ve said to us? To her? And what if she…changed her mind and thinks it was a mistake?"

Finnick rolled his eyes as he accepted a few dollars and handed out the popsicles that had just been paid for. "Yeah, who gives two shits what everyone else thinks. The way she hangs all over you all the time is a pretty good indicator she won't regret anything. Since when does Skye worry about all that crap? She's just happy being with you…stupid."

"Well maybe I'm not…" he trailed off and Finnick turned narrowing his eyes.

"You ain’t what? Attracted to her? Pfft, I've seen how she gets you riled up. I've seen how it don't take her much to get you there either, even though you've gotten damn good at hiding it. If you don't want her for other reasons Nick, you at least need to tell her so she can move on and find someone who does."

Nick let his head drop as Finnick's ears set. The young red fox sat straight as his ears trained the same way. Both him and Finnick stood and faced the same direction as a young deer was being harassed by several mammals who were openly taunting her and throwing the produce she had around. Nick tipped his head as he caught a good view of her. "We gotta help her, Finnick."

The smaller fox shook his head and ground his feet to the pavement. "We ain't supposed to get involved in other people's crap, Nick. Dad will kill us both. It ain't none of our business."

"It's Maiden, Finnick." The small fox's ears set as he stepped closer to his brother and prodded his leg. Nick grabbed him and set him on one shoulder as they both watched the white-tailed deer trying to fend off several mammals who were trying to overturn her cart.

"Crap." Finnick groused as he jumped back to the sidewalk. "Fine, let's go save the deer so Dad can kill us later."

Nick chuckled as they walked towards the little commotion. "Well that would be a change. Usually it's Mom. I guess this time she’ll bury us instead of Dad doing it for her. Mom and Dad aren't the ones we really need to worry about and you know it." Nick looked around nervously as Finnick growled.

"Shut up stupid and let's go get our tails kicked for a friend."

Nick smirked as they stepped to the little crowd. The deer had tears streaming down her face as she tried to keep her cart from getting pulled over. "HEY! WHAT'S UP MAMMALS?" Nick shouted in a cheery voice. The several mammals around the cart spun and Finnick bit back his scowl as they narrowed their eyes.

A long-horned antelope swung his eyes back to the doe and she nearly shrank away from him as his heated glare burned into her. "Foxes too? You really are a freak, you know that?" He asked as he grabbed her cart again.

"No! They aren't with me! I don't even know who they are!"

"Well who cares you Pred chaser! If you'll be with one of them, I'm sure these guys are just waiting in line for the next turn!" Nick shook his head as he watched her face twist in horror. The cheetah who had been screaming earlier grabbed her cart and threw it to the ground as Nick and Finnick jumped out of the way. She slid to the ground bawling as the two young foxes glanced at each other. The antelope looked back scowling and shook his head before he left acting like it was above him.

"Pred chaser?" Finnick asked as an overweight ram curled his lip up.

"She was kissing a lion! A deer kissed a lion! What's it to you fox? So, what is it you two are doing here anyway?" The ram hissed as he narrowed his eyes.

Nick lifted his head and pointed to the deer who had curled into a ball sobbing. "We're here for her, since none of you seem to have any manners or know how to treat a lady."

"Lady?" the cheetah scoffed as the ram and cat were joined by an ox who looked like he may have been bench pressing a planet. "There isn't anything lady like from this skank."

Finnick let the growl slip as he fought to keep his gums locked together. The small fox tipped his head to one side as he caught a gleam shimmering when the ram turned his attention back to the ox. "You believe this shit?" the ram asked the ox and cheetah as Finnick watched Nick slip around behind them.

"What shit?" Finnick asked harshly as their eyes flew to him again. "Pretty cross on your neck. Ain’t you Catholic?"

"No. I’m not Catholic, I’m Christian. What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

Finnick bobbed his head as he folded his arms over his chest. "Don't your God say you ain’t supposed to judge somebody?"

"He also says there are abominations in the world that are a sin. She’s one of them! Mammals should stay with their own kind! Predator and Prey do not belong together and neither do other species!"

Finnick scratched under his chin, nodding as he looked off in thought. "So, teach me. Your God will think it’s alright for you to behave as abominations when you think you find one, and will also allow you into heaven? Does that mean I can do anything I want no matter how bad it is and it's not gonna matter?”

“NO!”

Finnick smirked. “Maybe you should have tried to talk to her or change her mind? He won't have a problem letting you into heaven even though you are acting as if you are him right now? I don't think your God is going to be that forgiving, seeing you trying to take his job and all. Even though he put her here, maybe to see if she could change or do something you will never know about?"

The three blinked at each other before the cheetah stood up and growled. "You don't know anything about our God. Get the fuck out of here, Kit! Before I turn you into a new stain on the pavement." Finnick nodded again and caught sight of Nick rushing back to the other side of the group. The small fox grinned from ear to ear as Nick took up a stance beside the group. The cat's ears flicked as he heard a faint voice and he curled his brow as he pulled his phone from his pocket and stuck it to his ear. The cheetah may as well have lost all his spots as his face fell and ears pinned to his head.

The ram and Ox looked back at him curiously as he shifted from foot to foot. Both of them ticking their ears and looking at each other before pulling out their own phones and following suit.

"Maybe your God ain't the one you should be worried about and he’s just trying to teach you something?" Finnick asked with a smirk as Nick leaned against the wall smiling. All three of them had their ears pinned to their heads and cringed when each word they heard from their phones turned to screams as their heads fell to the ground. Both foxes ducked out of sight as a squad car pulled to the curb. They watched as an elephant officer helped the young doe off the ground and Nick was chuckling as their phones were all turned off. The shocked expressions of disbelief slapped to their faces as the other officer had them empty the contents of their pockets where several of the doe's fruit and produce were found were priceless as they both snickered.

Nick cupped a paw over his muzzle as Finnick bit his lip. Half an hour later the police left the scene after securing a statement. The little doe had picked up her cart and both young foxes stepped beside her as they started helping her pick up her things. She startled as Nick said hello. Looking up at him and shaking her head. "Thank you, for trying to help."

Nick smirked as Finnick grabbed several ears of corn handing them to her. "It was a pleasure, Maiden." The doe looked back up blinking as Finnick stood beside Nick. The young red fox and Finnick both chuckled when she put together who they were.

"You… Oh my gosh! Look at how big you guys are!" She rushed around the cart grabbing them both in a hug as Nick and Finnick both shook their heads, trying to get her to back away. She looked at them frowning as she shook her head. "I don't get it."

Nick and Finnick looked at each other and sighed. "This isn't a good place for you to sell your stuff, Maiden. We’re still your friends but, no one really associates with foxes and if a lot of mammals see it, it will just cause you more problems." She let her head hang as she looked back at them and sighed.

"Look, we can hang around here today and maybe help you sell what you can salvage, but you should move over to the next block. No one will bother you there." Finnick said as he looked around.

"What difference would that make?" she asked as her face scrunched together in confusion.

Nick puffed a breath as he stuck his paws on his hips. "It's our block, where we sell our things. The city is laid out like a grid for the mammals who do things like this. We all have our own areas to sell things in or move to different sections during certain days of the week. All of us who sell things like this on the streets talk to each other and plan it out so we aren't stepping on anyone's toes or stealing someone else's customers."

She shook her head as she looked back to the store front she had set up in front of. "But I asked the store owner if I could be here. She said it was fine."

Finnick shook his head. "Wasn't her you needed to ask." The small fox looked around and shrugged as Nick helped her get the rest of her things picked up and started arranging her cart again.

"Just come to the next block tomorrow, Maiden. We have permission to be here today and you will sell better there anyway. There isn't anyone else selling there except us. Besides, those guys who just got hauled off will figure out eventually that we’re the ones who stuck the stuff in their pockets and the ones who…. Called the last numbers they had dialed on their phones."

Her ears fell back as Finnick and Nick smirked at each other. "You got them arrested?" she asked blinking as Nick stuck a paw down. Finnick slapped it in a low high five. The young doe giggled as she shook her head. "I can't let them go to jail for that! I thought they had picked it up themselves!"

"Don't worry about it, Maiden. It won't even leave a mark on their records. Not enough of anything for them to be charged with something. At most they might spend the rest of the day in a cell, at best, they won't do something like that again." Nick chuckled as Finnick shrugged.

"Well…how can I ever thank you for doing that and letting me come over there?"

Both teens looked at each other grinning and she watched Nick pluck a few blueberries off her stand as Finnick grabbed a peach. "Just let us grab something if we pass by. Act like you didn't see it happen, don't ever say anything about it so it won't cause you problems talking to us and you won't have to explain anything about how we all know each other. You won't see us too often. That's kind of how it works with foxes, Maiden. Unless it’s a day like today and there is an open market set up like this." Finnick shrugged again as he bit into the peach he had kyped.

"So… we can't even say hello to each other?" She asked a little sadly as Nick and Finnick glanced at each other grinning.

"Sure we can." Nick said as he tossed a few berries in his mouth. "It doesn't mean anyone else has to know we are. If you want to say hello, just flick one of your ears as we go by. We'll get the message. The doe shook her head smiling as both young foxes chuckled. "Have you seen Vallerie lately?"

"She moved overseas. They found a cure for some kind of fox disease and she has been traveling all over the place helping them give out the new vaccinations for it. She made a fortune using the popsicles. I used what I got and started a rooftop garden. It's where all my fruit and vegetables come from. You changed both our lives the night we met. There’s no way I could ever thank you guys enough."

Nick and Finnick both smirked at each other as the smaller fox chuckled. "Sure you can, Maiden." He chirped as Nick nodded. "Just flick an ear and say hello when we’re 'stealing' your fruit."

The deer shook her head smiling as the two young foxes slipped back across the street. She spent the rest of the afternoon selling her produce without any problems. Nick poked his brother tipping his head at another cart and Finnick chuckled as he nodded, watching as Nick strolled down the street and stopped in front of another vendor.

"Hello plastic!" Nick chirped. The vixen behind the stand turned with narrowed eyes before she grabbed a bunch of flowers and smacked him with them. Nick chuckled as she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Where's your Dad, Ellie?"

The vixen looked off in another direction and sighed. "Oh, you know how he is, probably trying to make a little extra with his cards or he might have just gone to get some coffee again."

Nick snickered as the vixen stuck the flowers back in an open tube among the others she was selling. "Mom wants me to get some more violets from you."

She giggled as she shook her head. "You'll have to tell me how she makes that honey you know? She let me taste it the last time she was here and it's pretty good. We might be able to sell it at the stand if she would share the recipe."

Nick scoffed as she leaned over and handed him a large bag of the tiny flowers. "She makes soap and shampoo using them too. You'd probably have to marry one of us for her to give it to you, she says it's a family thing."

Ellie dipped her head down grinning and Nick narrowed his eyes. "Was that an offer? Your brother is a little young for me." She threw her head back laughing when his ears tipped back in a pink tint. "Don't tell Skye! She would tan me!" she giggled as he glared at her playfully.

Nick chuckled as he shook his head. "Like I would be the one asking anyway? I'm pretty sure she knows you're just messing with me because you think it's cute. And I'm a little young for you too. You're three years older than I am."

"I’ve thought you were cute since the day we met. Cutie."

"Ah hu, keep talking like that and she will tan you Ellie." He handed her a few bills and she shrugged as she stuck them in a large zippered bag before giving him back a few coins. "I was nine then, Ellie. I'm almost sixteen, it's not the same saying it now."

"Cute is cute." She chirped as she leaned over the flowers and Nick rolled his eyes as he shook his head grinning. He stepped to the side as another fox slipped behind the booth startling her as he held out several large roses.

The other tod looked around before narrowing his eyes on the red fox in front of her cart. "Go drop in a well Nickel, and make a wish." Cuss smirked as he held the flower out towards the vixen.

Nick rolled his eyes as Ellie bit her lip and dipped her head. "You know we don't usually start courting until we are twenty-one Cuss?" She asked as he lifted a brow. "And you are a marble fox."

"A fox is a fox, ask that one right there! He's dating an Arctic vixen! Besides that, no one really follows all those things anyway and I already know who I want. I plan on wooing her until she chooses me, I'm just getting a jump on the others I already know are interested in her."

She rolled her eyes as he pushed the flowers to her. "Well, I'll accept them, only because it would be rude not to and because, I like red."

The marble fox narrowed his eyes on Nick as he snickered. "See you next week, Button."

"Hey Nick?"

He turned back with a tipped brow as she looked across the street. "You know he's watching, right?"

Nick cringed as Ellie frowned and Cuss folded his arms over his chest smirking. He sighed as he gripped the bag and shook his head. "Yeah and now I know we’re as good as dead as soon as we get home." She smiled with a bit of a curled brow and he shrugged. "It is what it is. We had to help a friend."

Ellie softened her smile as she watched him walk back to Finnick and resume selling their popsicles.

As Nick and Finnick packed up their things, both foxes were grinning as the doe across the street flicked an ear in their direction. They returned the same gesture and watched as she pushed her little cart down the street.

Both boys were gathering their supplies together as a large minivan pulled to the curb. Nick cast his eyes to the side as Finnick stiffened. "GET. IN. An bring your business." Both foxes nodded as they loaded everything into the van and took seats in the back keeping their eyes low until they had pulled into their own driveway. Neither looked up from the floor until the voice they knew all too well barked out another order. "Pick up the shit an meet me at the door." Nick and Finnick both moved in sync as they removed the cooler from the van and left it sitting in front of the vehicle as they kept their heads low and eyes to the ground. They were both staring at a pair of dirty gold colored fur legs and feet as the mammal in front of them slammed his fists into the door, banging hard enough that the whole thing rattled. "Your old fox here?" he asked harshly and growled as both boys nodded. "It's a good Gods damn thing for yous he is."

The door swung open and Nicholas took a step back as both his sons were grabbed by the scruff of the neck and thrown into the house. The silver fox backed away and kept his ears down as a greasy paw pointed one sharp claw at his face. "TEACH EM, JOHN! I GOT MY OWN DAMN BRATS TO FEED AND LEARN, THIS HAPPENS AGAIN AN YOUS AN I ARE GONNA HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THEM PAPERS YOUS ASKED FOR. I WON'T GIVE A FAT RATS ASS- OR A FAT SHREWS ASS IF I GOTTA DO THIS SHIT AGAIN! YAS UNDERSTAND ME GOOD ENOUGH? THEM DAMN BRATS OF YOURS COST ME A GOOD TWO HUNDRED BUCKS TODAY AND I WILL BE TAKIN IT OUTTA SOMEBODYS ASS!"

Nicholas swallowed as he watched Nick and Finnick cringe and lower their heads as they stayed on the floor in front of him. The silver fox reached into his back pocket and pulled his billfold out before plucking several bills from it, only to have them snatched by a dirty furred paw. Nicholas kept his eyes on the floor as the weasel in front of him thumbed through the bills and grunted his approval. "Next time John, yous gonna have a serious problem. Don't fuck with the weasel!" The silver fox nodded and kept his eyes down as the smaller predator looked around. Rose walked into the room and her ears folded to her head as he shot her a disturbing smile. "Always a pleasure to see ya…. Rose."

"It won't happen again, Earl." Nicholas ground out as he glared at both his sons. Nick and Finnick both cringed and turned their heads as their father curled his lips at them.

The weasel chuckled as he watched the younger foxes shrinking away from him and their father. "Amusin watchin yous sometimes ya know? Ain't never seen no foxes act the way yous do around each other. Then again. Aint never seen nothin like her before we met either." Rose shifted her gaze away from the weasel as Nicholas let his lips fly over his teeth. The weasel only smiled wider as the silver tod in front of him narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. "Careful fox. Not even Big can control what I do. The difference between me and that shrew, is that even he comes to me when he needs somethin done. It's a sorry thought though, knowin how you fox’s work, that yous was more willin to give up money rather than letting me …. " Nicholas growled as he looked over Rose again and the weasel snapped his attention to the door as a whiny voice grated his last nerve.

"Dad! I'm bored! How much longer we gotta stay in this shit hole? There ain't nuttin to do here!""

"Gods damn it ya fuckin brat! What I tell ya about leaving the car when I'm takin care of business?! You worthless Weaselton! Duke of all things! Duke for the love of shit, your mother had to pick that damn name! You ain’t the duke of crap, you damn little wretch of a wasted screw!"

The teen weasel at the door curled his brow as he folded his arms over his chest in defiance. "Mom said I was the only reason you were ever worth a screw at all."

Earl rushed to the door and knocked his son on his rear before throwing a foot into his side. "Worthless screw! That's what I just said ya was and all yous doin is confirmin the matter runnin that fuckin mouth a yours. Gods fucking damned it all if I didn't get saddled with that damn female and you on top of it to boot. Get your worthless ass back in the van where I's told ya to stay to begin with!" The young weasel sighed as he picked himself up off the ground and stormed back to the van. Earl watched him and narrowed his eyes as he slammed the front door of the vehicle, sulking as he glared at his father. The greasy furred weasel turned back to see all the foxes shy their eyes again and chuckled as he bounced his head. "Kinda funny I got a king in my pocket, ain't it Wilde?"

Nicholas took a deep breath as he straightened his back. "How is your daughter, Earl?"

The weasel's face softened into a genuine smile as he bobbed his head. "Amelia, my little darlin? Golden as always." Nicholas looked at him with a blank stare and blinked before turning them away again as the weasel set a malicious smile on his face. "Don't think bringing up my soft spot will change this. Remember that, and teach em John, or next time- I will." He let his face fall flat as he dropped his head and walked away. Nicholas stood where he was, unblinking until he saw the van rush past the front door.

The silver fox sighed as he looked back at his sons who were both locked in a gummy grimace with their ears pinned to their heads. "There had better be a really good reason you pissed him off, because you knew what would happen going against anything he had set up."

Nick sat up and averted his eyes as his father looked between him and Finnick. "Why are you afraid of him? You’re the King of all the councils, Dad. Doesn't that count for something? Why don't you just tell him to shove it!"

Finnick sat up and rolled his neck. "That guy is a real pain in the tail end."

Nicholas looked to see Rose widen her eyes as she motioned in a frantic manner and shook her head. The silver fox growled and both boys pinned their ears to their heads as their shoulders shot into their cheeks. "I told you both not to give him any reason to ever come here didn't I?! He runs the grid in this city and there isn't anything he doesn't know about or won't find out. Now why did you go against something he set up?"

"We didn't, Dad. We were trying to help Maiden." Nick said quietly as Finnick set his ears high. "She had a stand she was trying to sell things from on his market block. Some mammals threw over her cart and were calling her names. We were just-

"You were just what?" Nicholas asked harshly as Nick cringed again. "You know better than to get involved in something like that when it’s none of your concern. You have been told multiple times that we avoid him at all costs! You know more than likely he’s the one who had them trying to get rid of her?!" Both young foxes wilted as Nicholas growled again. "Me being the king does not mean I can change how the world works. There are rules in place for a reason and you will follow them whether they make sense to you or not. Am I understood?"

Both boys dipped their heads, "Yes Sir." They answered as Nicholas' tail lashed around behind him.

"Go to your room. Your mother and I will figure out what a punishment should be for breaking one of the biggest rules you have to follow and putting this family in jeopardy."

"How are we doing that, Dad?" Nick asked with a harsh tone as he lifted his ears and arms from the floor. Finnick turned his head as Rose cringed.

"UPSTAIRS-NOW!"

Both boys pulled themselves off the floor and Nicholas watched as they slipped up the stairs. The silver fox let his shoulders and angry face fall, just before he deflated and fell into his chair, cupping a paw over his face. He looked between two cracked fingers as Rose settled beside him and she pet his paw until their finger wove together. "Maybe we should tell them, Rose." The vixen swallowed hard as she cast her eyes to the side and Nicholas pulled her into his arms as she fought not to think about the past. He sighed as she let her head rest under his and ran her muzzle along the inside of his neck. A large bang had Rose jump in his arms as a door upstairs was slammed. He looked up at the ceiling and fought the desire to speak when a flood of memories overtook his thoughts and one word rang through his head. _Fuck~_

Nick stormed into the room after Finnick and slammed the door before he sat on his bed with grit teeth and clenched fists. Finnick shook his head and climbed up the ladder to get to his bed. "What the hell you so mad about?"

"You know what, Finnick." He hissed as the smaller fox rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Whatever it is, it ain't our business, Nick."

"The hell it's not!" Nick growled as he shook his head. "It's about us, so it is our business! I'm sick of all the damn secrets and the whispering and keeping all this crap hidden! He doesn't even deny being the king anymore! There’s no point to it, it's just as bad as lying!"

"No, it ain't Nick, and you know it. You don't' go around telling people all the stuff we do neither."

"That's because none of the stuff we do is hurting anybody! He’s still trying to get us to break the band up and they won't tell us anything about the other stuff!"

"Who cares! It's fun! We already know what they’re doing with the stuff, so what does it matter why we are doin it? They’re telling us about who we are getting it from and why we are taking it. It's just like Robin Hood. We're just taking back the crap that other people stole and getting it to the Den to help the other foxes."

"Yeah? Well how do we know for sure that anything they are saying is fact when they won't even tell us our own history? Do you even remember when that moose fell in front of Dad like he was worshiping him or something? Dad freaked out! The only reason we found out about our name was because of Jimmy and Johnny! What are they doing that they aren't telling us? They disappear all the time and we get stuck with Mr. Melgic, or the Lunar's for days!"

Finnick rolled his eyes and sighed as he jumped back to the ladder and slid down it. Nick tipped a brow and cocked his head as the small fox climbed out the window. "What are you doing? Mom and Dad will kill you if they come up here and you're gone." He said flat faced as he shook his head.

"I think I might like being dead better than listening to you whine and bitch again, Nick. I got a date and I ain't standing her up. Besides that, if they are talking you know it'll be hours before they come up here anyway. Later."

Nick stuck his head out the window, scowling as Finnick slid down a gutter pipe. "I'm not covering for you again!"

"Never asked you to, stupid!" He spat back quietly and Nick shook his head as Finnick rushed out the side gate. He sat back on the bed growling as he looked over all the books he had collected, and picked one up simply to pass the boredom. He rolled his eyes as page after page popped into his head without cracking it open and tossed it on the bed before falling back and throwing an arm over his eyes...

Nicholas shifted and Rose looked at him as he cringed. "If they have another run in with him, we’re going to have problems, Rose." The vixen nodded as she let her forehead crinkle in worry. "We’re going to have to tell them." She looked off frowning and he pulled her face to his as he smiled softly. "I'm surprised they don't know already. I don't think they’ll see you any differently, regardless of how your fur turned red the first time. Weaselton doesn't usually warn anyone if he thinks somebody might cause him problems." Nicholas sighed as he shook his head, and Rose sat up on his lap as he rubbed his forehead. "Nick is getting pretty impatient and I can't get him to listen to me. That band they have is getting popular and drawing a lot of attention to them."

Rose lifted her paws and Nicholas watched as she smirked. "I did make them costumes when they started getting attention, Nicholas. He’s a lot like you when you were younger, isn't he?"

The silver fox sighed as he rolled his eyes. "That’s not a good thing, Rose. Me being that way nearly-" She clamped a paw over his muzzle as he snickered. He pulled her paws away chuckling as he narrowed his eyes. "Fine, we both have things we don't want them to know. But Weaselton is different. We cannot let that get out of paw."

Rose dropped her eyes as she nodded. "I guess we are going to have to get our stories straight then aren't we?" He nodded as he looked off in thought and wrinkled his brow as he tilted forward and pulled his billfold out. She stuck her paws in front of him with a tilted brow. "Nicholas?"

He glanced at her face with furrowed brows as she watched him shake his head. "I've had this thing since he left us here. I have no idea why he gave it to me, but it just popped into my head." Rose sat back on the arm of the chair and watched as he pulled out an old faded yellowed business card. "That weasel doesn't do anything like this and this never made sense. I just forgot about it." Rose tipped her head as Nicholas held it up.

~ _Earl Weaselton. Mammal on the moon~_

Rose tilted her head in curiosity as Nicholas shrugged. "I never thought to look at it before, just stuck it in one of the folds and forgot about it. There’s no phone number, he doesn't tell people his name unless they already know who he is and what he does. It doesn't make any sen-" Nicholas stopped mid-sentence as he flipped the card over and him and Rose both curled their brows before they looked at each other. The silver fox twisted his lips and shook his head as he read out loud...

"Who was it that painted the white Roses red? Is Alice running through your head? Mum's the word."

"That’s my mother's paw writing and her new Den name here…." Rose signed before he looked back to the card.

"He said something strange to me when he gave it to me…What did he say? Something about a Royal Rose and cutting off his own head?" Nicholas' face dropped as he read the card and twitched one cheek up. "I wasn't a real fox because I couldn't think like a fox… If a Rose was the Helm after Cassie, Cassie was the Que- She left this for me?"

"If my mother left a riddle, I'm not even sure I could figure it out, Nicholas. She was almost wicked with them."

"I am the King because…." he sat up straight as Rose tilted her head. "Rose, can you remember what happened on the train we took to get here?" The vixen cinched both cheeks up and shook her head as she stuck a paw out and shook it slightly. "Not very well?" He asked and nodded as she shrugged. "What color were the walls before they were painted?"

Rose shook her head as Nicholas waited. "They were white. I picked the color, but Mom painted most of it herself because I had Nicky and was trying to arrange things as the movers came in and delivered the furniture. Why?"

"You picked the color?"

Rose nodded blankly as he shook his head. "Mom suggested it match the colors of our crest. Black was too dark and the blue was too bright."

"Cassie put the armor on you the night we left the City of Roses. If I understand this right, she thought that’s why you became the blood Rose and we li…. The queen in Wonderland… they painted the white roses red because…. Off with their heads- Mum. Mum is the word. Silent, like a fox holding his mouth closed. Keeping secrets. Laying his ears flat so he can't hear secrets, without eyes so no one can see his secrets. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. It's just a fox's head, Lee said part of it was missing. Who painted the white roses red? She did. Is Alice running through your head? That was the story I told you on the train that night." He turned looking at the crested shield as he stood and Rose watched curiously as he pulled it from the wall. "She wouldn't let go of it. Said it was all that was left of…family." Rose followed him to the kitchen and watched with raised brows as he sat in on the table.

"She used the name you gave her to create a riddle? And you think that's it? It's just a decoration, Nicholas. The real ones have never been out for anyone to see."

Nicholas nodded as he pulled both swords away from their mounts and turned it over. "I think that was the point, Rose. The fox on your family crest is red, silent, like a fox holding his mouth closed. Keeping secrets. Laying his ears flat so he can't hear secrets, without eyes so no one can see his secrets. You got painted red, twice, she suggested it and she painted the walls in our new home red. She was the Helm so in a way, it made her a queen. The swords may not be the real thing but they are still real swords, guarding the family crest, because the family crest is real. It's like hiding something in plain sight, something no one would ever think to look at twice because it's just there. Just like she had me set it up at the Den."

Rose sat shaking her head as he ran a claw around the outer rim of metal that held it fastened to the wall. She gasped as it popped open and Nicholas picked up a large parchment that had been fastened to the inside of it with beeswax. "You…figured out one of my mother's riddles?!"

Nicholas plopped in the chair after Rose had dropped her paws, staring at the parchment paper as his mouth hung open. "How could she know I would understand that?" He raised a brow as Rose's eyes widened and looked back to the shield she was gawking at, freezing seeing another section taped to the piece he had pulled open. They both glanced at each other before Nicholas plucked a much more recent paper from the back that had his name on it. Rose dipped her head to him and back to the paper as if to say go ahead and Nicholas unfolded it after he laid the others on the table. The vixen curled her brow up as Nicholas’ eyes glossed in a heavy film. She grabbed his wrist as he leaned forward and covered his eyes as his lips pulled over his gums. The silver fox was jostling as Rose kept trying to get him to look at her. The vixen plucked the papers from his paw and read what her mother had written.

_Nicholas,_

_The world will throw stones at us, it may break our bones, crush our spirits and leave us battered and bruised, weary and weak from all the losses we suffer. I stayed as long as I could to make sure everything was settled, but knew I wouldn’t be able to fight back with the fear of living without my mate for very long. Now the little fight I have left is being used so you will know the truth and share it with my daughter about our lineage, and your son's fate. It’s not fully understood and some of the papers here, our family could never explain how they came into our possession. I trust if you’ve found this as I suspected you would, at some point you may be able to understand their meanings. This is my last rally cry, it’s a battle I cannot fight and a war you must win for the sake of our family, and your son. I leave this broken world in your paws as I move on, because I believe you will be the one who can clear the way, and he’s the one who will set it right again. Your heart will crack so many times through life, at some point you may believe it has shattered and can't find the strength to try to find it again._

_If you are reading this you have reached a point where answers must be given and the past must be faced. I have included several pages of my own writing and the way I remembered things that led us to this life. Write your story and add it to mine, share it all with the world, share it with your son. This must not be lost to time as so many other things have been. Teach your son the ways we have lived by, and when the time comes, teach him a better way. Your way. You were right all along, Nicholas. We all have hearts battered by the lives we lived and we should no longer be separated from others as we have become. I may not be able to see the future but I know my daughter well enough to know the path she will choose if you are backed into a corner again and she cannot fight. Shout it to the world that we are all the same, bring us all together again as you wear a crown that only you are worthy of wearing, for a fair and just king must live and understand all the subjects he is meant to care for and cannot do so if he has not lived and walked in the worst of steps. Bring the world back together and pass your crown to an heir who will bring the foxes back into the light and leave a world of darkness behind us all._

_There is no other path I can see for you but greatness, not after all the things you have shown me and led our family back to. Listen to the ramblings of an old mother once more. Teach your son to hold his head as high as you have through the worst of times, and all there will be at the end of this path will be a happy ending. This world isn't strong enough to hold you down. It will be a difficult battle but I know you will always fight for what you believe in, for what is right. Keep trying until we are all free from the things that have pulled us all apart for so long. There is no sin in wanting the world to be a better place for all who live in it. Let your spirit soar into this world and they will listen. They will not be able to deny you any longer. Every choice we make teaches us as we grow, the strength I have seen in you as you grew into a true fox has left me filled with pride for the mate my daughter chose as I watched you blossom and rise through the strength of your heart. No matter how you choose to wear the crown, rule the kingdoms and councils with passion, patience, and above all others - your heart. With the last beats of my heart, I believe in yours, in you, my son. When the time is right, teach your son to lead the foxes back into the light, and bring the world with us, so no one lives in darkness. Live up to the names that no one really knows as truth, and you will both be greater than even the first King of Foxes. Our forefather, Robin Hood, and his mate, Lady Marion Wild. For a Wild heart, can never be broken. Love, Mum_

Rose gripped his wrist again as he shuttered and finally pulled his eyes to hers before they both jumped from their seats and wrapped around each other. The vixen was as much a mess as he was as he dipped his head over her shoulder, and she closed her eyes as they both shed several tears... 

**Notes; In the movie Zootopia when Judy is chasing Nick, he passes a deer who is selling from a stand on the street. The deer seems to ignore him as he picks up several blueberries, but raises the paper over her face as if to make a point of ignoring him while she flicks her ears. This is Maiden, the doe Nick and Finnick took to see Mr. Big, and the one Mr. Big gives ten percent of the money to for a finder's fee in bringing him the idea of frozen foods that are made in the shape of popsicles. She ignores Nick in the movie because in this story it’s what he told her to do because he’s a fox, even though they’re friends. It’s also why she doesn’t say anything about him taking the blueberries.**

**I wrote this because I had a serious problem with something else I read. But after writing it and realizing I really need to wear my GLASSES- I think I got over it. Sort of-**


	2. Our Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stay here and look back...so you don't forget.

**Our Story**

He ain't heavy; The Hollies

“I can’t believe she wrote all this.” Nicholas picked up the paper.

Rose cocked her head to one side, giggling as she looked it over and curled around him. She closed her eyes as she pressed her forehead to his before she ran her muzzle against his mingling their tears. They both opened their eyes on each other and he almost laughed, sniffling as she bit her lip and pulled her paws back where he could see them as he kept his arms wrapped around her waist. "That’s why you wanted them to call me Alice in the Den here? Because it’s the story you told on the way to Zootopia?" He half chuckled as she smiled at him and nodded.

"Well you made it pretty clear no one would ever call you anything but Rose, didn't you?"

Rose giggled as she nodded. "Just like my mother made it clear no one would ever call her Mum but you when she told them all to call her Cassie. Mum was your word. That's why she made that book, Al in Wonderland. That must be why I told it so often and kept reading it to Nicky when he was little. I don't remember very much about getting here."

"You were very upset. Cassie… a prophet. Who fills the world and males with love." He shook his head as he sighed. "I guess she really did know what she was doing and we’re going to have a long night writing all this out for the boys and the other councils."

Rose stepped back and nodded as she looked to the other room. "I'll go and get some paper. We can add our parts to the ones she already wrote."

Nicholas nodded as he picked up the newer paper and Rose looked to the older parchment as he bit his lip, shaking his head when she looked back at him. "One step at a time, Rose. We’ll get to that after we finish this." She smiled as she stepped out of the kitchen and Nicholas sat the papers down, shaking his head as he looked at the family crest and swords lying beside it. He picked them up and sat the ones Cassie had written on the counter and placed the older papers back in the shield, reattaching the swords before hanging it back on the wall. He caught Rose out of the corner of his eye digging through a smaller closet under the nook located beneath the stairs and his ears flipped up as he heard a thump. The silver fox curled his brow as he headed back through the kitchen and opened the back door.

Nick stuck his head out the window after jumping from his bed. He rolled his eyes as he looked down and saw Finnick banging on the fence. Anything like that directly on the house and Rose would notice it. The red fox scoffed as he folded his arms over the widow and smirked as Finnick turned. "Hey dummy!" Finnick narrowed his eyes at his cocky older brother who was bouncing his brows and snickering. "You always forget you can't climb back up it like you slide down and I end up having to help your sorry tail, even if I don't have to cover for you being missing…dummy."

"Yeah, shut up stupid and help me get back up! It ain't my fault the first fastener is too high for me to reach!"

Nick rolled his eyes as he jumped out the window and slid down the drain, a small thump rounded and he cringed as he hit the grass after one of his claws clipped the fastener that held the gutter drain to the side of the house. They both looked around nervously and Nick sighed as he shook his head. "You're gonna get me in trouble doing this crap, Finnick."

The smaller fox grinned as he shook his head. "Here I'll make it up to you then." He pulled out a lighter and a rolled-up wad as Nick's eyes went wide.

"Are you nuts? There's no way Mom and Dad won't smell that stuff! Where'd you get it anyway?"

Finnick rolled his eyes as he held it out. "It's fine. We can do it out here where they won't notice it. Trinity gave it to me after we… " he chuckled and bounced his brows as Nick curled his lip up shaking his head. The small fox set it in his lips and flicked the lighter a few times as Nick plopped on the grass looking around. "Help me with this lighter, Nick."

Nick sat up and took it, looking at the little cigarette as he flicked the lighter. Both of them went stiff as a deep voice bellowed from behind them.

"DROP IT."

Nick turned and dropped his ears as Nicholas stood with a stone face, both paws on his hips as his tail slashed angrily behind him.

"Oh Crap." Finnick mumbled as both their ears pinned to their heads.

"That’s about as close to the word you could use to describe the amount of trouble you are both in, but it's not quite deep enough." Both boys cringed as Nicholas stormed to them, snatching the lighter from Nick before grabbing the cigarette from Finnick's open jaw as it stuck to his lip. Both of them ticked their eyes to each other with dread as they fully understood their father had just told them they were in deep shit. "Inside, kitchen table - Now." Nick stood slowly as Finnick sighed. A deep growl accompanied by a short bark and both of them rushed forward as Nicholas seethed. "MOVE YOUR TAILS! DOUBLE TIME!"

The silver fox followed both his sons and stopped as they rushed through the back door. Cupping the lighter and illegal substance rolled in thin paper in his paw. He closed his eyes for the conversation they were about to have as he pressed his other paw to his chest. Nicholas shook it off as he decided it needed to wait with everything else going on so it wouldn't upset Rose. He stiffened his face as he stormed through the back door and took a seat across from both boys as his lip curled up. "We will discuss this another time. Your mother and I have something we’re doing tonight that…" Nicholas let his angry brow rise as both boys ticked their eyes from his open paw behind him. Both young tods ears fell and faces dropped as Nicholas turned cringing as Rose covered her mouth and shook her head as her face scrunched in agony at what she could see him holding out in front of their sons. The silver fox turned back and sighed as both boys wilted in their chairs while their mother nearly fell apart.

He closed his eyes and shook his head before reaching back and grabbing her wrist, pulling her towards him as he laid the items on the table and pulled her into his arms as she folded over him. Nick and Finnick looked at each other cringing as Nicholas pulled Rose's face to his and shook his head. "Well, you boys want to explain where you got that and why you were both sneaking around outside tonight?"

Nick folded his arms over his chest and kicked Finnick as he opened his mouth. The smaller fox glared at him as Nick curled his lip up. "Why? You won't tell us anything about what you’re doing or the things that are going on we should know about! And we aren't ratting anyone out!"

Nicholas grit his teeth in a harsh frown as he glared between both boys. "Did you get that from a rat?"

"No," Nick frowned as Finnick shook his head.

"Then don't ever say that again because I know plenty of them who would be offended by it. Since you seem to want to know some truth, you’re going to get some tonight. We had planned on telling you both about everything else but it's apparent you aren't ready yet."

Nick sat up gritting his teeth and shook his head. "THAT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S NOT RIGHT ALL THE SECRETS YOU KEEP FROM US WHEN IT IS ABOUT US!"

"Dad. It was the-" Nick kicked Finnick again and the small fox growled as he shut his mouth and pointed his teeth at his brother. They both bared their teeth at each other as Rose stayed wrapped around Nicholas.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!"

Rose hiccupped and sobbed and they both turned their attention back to see Nicholas sigh as he sat in the chair. He pulled her beside him, unwinding her arms from around his neck and looked up at her as he placed her paw on his muzzle and closed his eyes. He ran his scent along her paw and moved it over his chest. "This isn't what we had in mind Rose, but it’s a start." The vixen sniffled as she crouched on her knees and nodded as she pulled his shirt open and let her paw rest over the scar on his chest. Nick and Finnick both looked at each other shaking their heads in confusion as Rose sat on the floor keeping her paw on his chest. He cupped her face in his paw while resting the other above hers on his heart. "I've told you both a dozen times to keep our secrets because someone knowing them may get you killed. Not knowing someone else's may also get you killed."

"Well that makes all kinds of sense Dad, when you keep so many of them from us." Nick growled as he set his ears in defiance. Finnick was watching Rose as she turned her head away from two young foxes and buried her face in their father's chest. "You keep all kinds of them from us so how many are going to get us killed! Why is Mom so upset over some stupid thing like that? It's just pot!"

Finnick and Nick both jumped as Nicholas threw his fist on the table, slamming it hard enough that the items he had laid down jumped as his teeth glistened in the growl he was training in them. "DAMN IT -LISTEN BOY!" he sighed again as Rose openly bawled and he pulled her into his arms as he shook his head. "Is that really all it is?" He asked them and they both looked at it. Nicholas pulled a pocket knife from his pants and flicked it open as Rose tried to curl into his side again. He cut it open and carefully peeled the paper away as dried green foliage spilled onto the table with a thick white powder falling around it. "Apparently not just pot is it?" he asked as both boys leaned forward looking at it with slack jaws. Rose sobbed loudly as Nicholas curled an arm around her and pulled her paw from his chest as he pointed at the scar. "That is why your mother is so upset. I accepted something from someone once, it almost cost me my life, and you taking something similar from someone we don't know, who we don't trust could have gotten you both killed."

Nick looked at his mother as his ears pinned back.

Finnick shook his head as Nicholas watched them both. "You…did drugs, Dad?" Finnick asked slowly as his brows went down in disbelief. Nick couldn't take his eyes off his mother as he tried to keep his tongue from swelling.

"No. I didn't. It was in something I ate or something I drank that someone I didn't know very well gave me. We’ve already talked about this kind of thing. Drugs are never an answer to a problem and they should not be used carelessly or without a doctor giving them to you because you don't know where they came from or what else has been put in it. How can I tell you everything if I can't trust you not to listen about something like this? That is why I am so disappointed in both of you right now."

Both boys' ears flipped back and heads dropped as they looked between their mother and father, seeing Rose so openly upset and their father with a look of disappointment aimed at both of them. "It was never Mom's fault?" Nick asked quietly as he fought back tears, watching when Nicholas pulled her into his lap as she curled under his chin.

"I told you it wasn't son."

"But it wasn't your fault either Dad, not if someone stuck it in your food." Finnick asked and shook his head as Nick swallowed again.

"Not everything you see, or hear will be what it really is, boys. You have to look with more than just your eyes, because they can betray you just like what someone says, or doesn't say can. I hope this is enough for you to understand why we keep secrets and don't tell everything. You will both know everything when the time is right. But sometimes, it just hurts to tell it all the way it really happened, especially if you aren't ready to hear it. We keep our hearts hidden for a reason."

Nick bit his cheek, holding his tears in as Finnick looked at his father's chest. "So, no one can break them?" Finnick asked.

"So, no one can break any of you." Nicholas smiled as he looked at both boys and curled his arms around Rose as she giggled into his neck. "This is my heart, right here around this table."

"Knights of the round table!" Finnick chirped before he laughed, Nick rolled his eyes as he pulled his emotions back to something stable.

"You’re still my little knight?" Rose asked as she held her paws out where they could all see them.

"I am." Finnick grinned and looked at Nick as the young red fox huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I'm the little prince since Dad is the king and that makes Mom the queen."

"Queen of all our hearts." Nicholas smirked as he looked down. She giggled again as he pulled her closer. Both young foxes rolled their eyes as Nicholas pointed out of the kitchen. They both stopped at the door as Rose shot from his lap with a yelp and Nicholas chuckled as she glared at him and rubbed her back end. "You're both grounded for a month by the way." Both young tods groaned as Rose snickered and he nodded at her as he pointed to Finnick.

"Finnick, come here son. Nick needs to talk to Mom for a minute alone."

Rose shooed Nick out the door as Finnick stepped to his father. The young fox yelped as he was snatched by the scruff of the neck and pinned his ears back. Nicholas held him up as he narrowed his eyes on his youngest son. "Boy, the next time you sneak out it won't matter if Nick is covering for you or not if I get a whiff of what I'm smelling right now again." Finnick's eyes widened as his ears stuck to his skull and his tail curled between his legs as Nickolas narrowed his eyes further. "I may not be a wolf but I can still smell. I’ve already told you and your brother how things work and not to be taking or giving something from a lady you can't give back or get back. Did you take her?"

"No Dad, I wouldn't do that! We were just… fooling around! Having some fun?"

Nicholas leaned his head closer to Finnick's as he clenched his jaw a few times. "Well that – just happens in the heat of the moment sometimes when you are fooling around just having fun, and you can't undo it once it’s done. You’re too young to be doing whatever you’re doing and I better be right assuming she was close to the same age?"

"A-A little older." Finnick nodded rapidly as his face flushed.

Nicholas shook his head. "Don't do that again, boy. I don't care if you aren't breaking past anything technical in this particular area. If I have an angry Dad come knocking at my door and causing problems that will end up causing us problems, you’ll wish I had been the one who handled it because in fox culture he will have the right to literally tear you apart and it won't matter who I am. I can't help you if you’re breaking the rules and this is way too close to that line. I also can't help if you’re just being plain stupid, boy. You are a Wilde, act like one. Got it?"

"Yes Sir."

Nicholas tilted his head as he kept his eyes narrowed. "This is a word you are keeping, Finnick. Not until after you turn eighteen do you even consider a mate, and not with any girls who aren't close to the same age. It's not uncommon to fool around after you’re sixteen for foxes or anyone else, but you go any further than that and it's the real world, real quick. Understand me son?"

"Yes Sir." he swallowed as Nicholas smirked and shook his head.

He set the small fox on the floor and leaned over as Finnick set his ears. "I suggest you go get her scent off you before your mother notices it, because you’ll wish it was that girl's father if she finds out."

Nicholas sat up folding his arms over his chest and chuckling as he watched the fear of Gods wash over his youngest son's face. The small fox turned his head as he started towards the door when Nicholas cleared his throat. "Uh Hum, Finnick?" The small fox looked back as Nicholas lifted a foot and kicked him square on the butt. He rolled forward tumbling over several times and looked back blinking as Nicholas chuckled. "There’s a difference between flirting and fooling around, son. Stick to the one we’re well known for. Just because your voice got that big doesn't mean the rest of you has grown into it yet. Don't make me kick your ass again, boy." Finnick looked back at him grinning before he shot from the floor and Nicholas laughed as he turned his attention back to the counter where he had laid the papers Cassie had written out. He heard the bathroom door slam and shook his head as the shower came on.

Rose watched as Nick sat on his bed, absently thumbing through one of his books. The young tod shied his eyes from her as she closed the door. "Why didn't you tell me, Mom?"

She sighed as she bit her lip and Nick sat up folding one knee as she sat next to him on his bed. "You were so little, Nicky. There was already so much happening and you were angry. We were all hurting and I didn't want that anger turned on him when it wasn't anyone's fault."

"It was someone's fault! Why didn't they do anything?!"

Rose sighed as she leaned forward and shook her head. Nick watched her paws as she looked back to the door when she felt another door slam. "Because it is what it is, Nicky. The police thought your father had taken something because he wanted to and didn't believe him when he told them the truth. Mr. Big tried to find out who did it, but there was nothing left to find, and we didn't want to live in the past. Your father wanted us to move forward, not to get lost in the bad moments like he felt he was then. He wants us to stay in the good moments and not dwell on the bad ones."

"How much worse could anything about our family be than that?!" Nick almost growled as Rose cringed. The young red fox flipped his tail over his leg as he watched his mother frowning and shaking her head. "Are we the bad foxes?"

"No. No, Nicky we aren't. But it’s more complicated than that. It’s a long story and your father and I wanted to make sure we got as much of it right as we could before we told both of you. We don't want it to…make you see us any differently than we are."

Nick shook his head as she looked back at him and sighed as he dropped his chin. "It's going to hurt like this, isn't it?"

He turned to see her swallow and her eyes glistened as she dipped her head. "I had some problems Nicky, and Gramma was trying to help but it was your father who…."

"You…it's going to hurt you? Like Dad when he thought Mr. Lunar was going to take us from him?" he asked and watched as she shook her head. Her paws flew up and he cringed as she signed out the word 'worse'. Nick looked to the floor and sighed before he looked back at her again. "Then I’ll wait."

Rose relaxed on the bed, smiling softly as Nick nervously pulled at the fur on his tail. She cupped his chin and pulled his eyes to her as she lifted his head. Once she knew he was watching she signed again. "Thank you, Nicky. I just need some time." He rolled his eyes smirking as she pressed her nose to his and shot back laughing as she licked his nose.

"MOM! I'm almost grown!"

Rose giggled as she shook her head. "You’re still mine though, and almost doesn't count my little prince." Nick chuckled as she pulled him into her arms and rolled his eyes as she ran her muzzle above the ridge of his cheek and over his head. Rose sat up as she felt the bathroom door slam open and sighed as she looked at the bookshelf. "What story do you want to hear tonight?"

Nick deadpanned her as he tipped his head to one side. "Ok - look Mom."

She laughed as he kept a dead face on her. "You may be too old Nicky, but he isn’t." Nick bit his cheek in a sour face when he almost coughed up something that would ensure his brother's imminent death and shook his head as Finnick walked through the bedroom door. Rose watched him curiously as he shoved his clothes in the hamper and scurried to the bed. She narrowed her eyes as Nicholas stepped through the door, grabbing the hamper.

"Rose, can you tell the story tonight? I'll start this for you and I need to …look over some things."

The vixen dropped her curiosity as Nicholas tipped a brow and nodded. He winked at her and left for the stairs again. "So," she asked Finnick as he crawled up half the ladder. The little fox had stopped and stuck his head through one of the sections as he watched his mother. "What do you want to hear tonight?"

Nick scoffed as he leaned back on the bed. "There isn't one book up there I don't know every word to. Pretty sure we have heard all the fox stories too."

"Have you?" she asked, smirking as Finnick hopped off the ladder to the bed they were both sitting on. "Maybe you should hear one that’s not a fox story, and not in one of your books?"

Rose smirked as Finnick plopped on the bed and Nick's ears flicked. Both young foxes had raised their brows as she fought not to giggle at them. "This story is about jackals, wolves," Finnick's ears shot up as Nick shook his head. "Rabbits, and a magical creature that hid treasures in lakes and how a sword came to be in the possession of someone it should not have belonged to." Nick sat up straight, folding his other leg over the bed as they both trained their ears on her. Once she was satisfied she had both their attention she smiled from ear to ear as she broke into the story.

"There was once a family of rabbits, noble rabbits descended from the greatest of all kings. A king known for helping those who could not help themselves. They think his name was Whood…but everyone in the kingdom called him Arthur, because he was noble and courageous, for no one knew his true name, he was kept hidden after the fighting ended when he became ill.”

“Arthur?” Nick asked, curling his brow, why did they call him Arthur?”

Rose shrugged, “The name is something from nobles. It also means stone or bear. No one really knows who king Arthur was. He might have been a bear or just hung around a bear a lot. Many of his children were torn from him by a war that nearly destroyed the kingdom after the first king died. The subjects fought over who was the next rightful heir. His greatest accomplishment was creating the Knights of the round table. He brought all the nobles in the land together to fight the invaders. He made them all armor and swords similar to his. He had two words. One of those swords wound up stolen by the ones attacking the kingdom because they were losing. It became lost in a strange land where his children had also ended up through a storm that left them shipwrecked. It’s said that they sought to return the sword to their father through a mystical being who traveled through the darkness of the world. A jackal had taken possession of the sword and tore the new world apart with how he wielded it. Killing thousands in the new lands, until the rabbits saw what he was doing and how he was doing it. They had been taken in by the natives of this new land and asked to bring all the tribes together to fight against the mammal who was tearing them all apart. Leaving a path of death and destruction in his path. All the tribes came together. It took several generations for them to agree on how to live and fight against the evil that was spreading through their land."

"Well where's the wolves?" Finnick asked as his paws flew out.

"Wait, Finnick. Patience is a virtue." Nick snickered as Finnick bounced, and shook his head as the small fox almost held his breath as Rose continued.

"All the mammals of the lands asked the forces of nature to help them save their lands as they all gathered at a large body of water. A lake so large it was said no one could find its bottom because it looked black from above. A dark figure appeared and walked on the water, she told them that if they could build a temple for this king who was said to be so great that she would help them destroy the Jackal and return it to who it rightfully belonged with, so long as he could prove he was worthy to have it. She put the sword inside a large stone to keep it safe until he came looking for them. She was known as the lady of the lake…. and the temple that was built was said to be the great hall of history as she instructed them on each detail they were to include within it while it was being built."

"Great hall of history?" Nick asked as he sat up and ticked his eyes to Finnick, shaking his head. "Like the Den?"

Rose raised her brows in shock and nodded absently as she shrugged. "Could have been something like that, like Gramma always said, like your Dad always says. Some things are just lost to time."

"That doesn't make any sense. If it took them several generations to get it back how did they get it back to the king?" Finnick asked as he shook his head.

"No one really knows, but it was the wolves who got the sword back from the jackal. You have to remember that mammals didn't live as long back then and every species has had different amounts of time of how they grew and had families too. Many of the wolves died in the battle against the jackal."

"Who was the Jackal?" Nick asked as he leaned closer.

Rose sighed as she shook her head. "His name is a little fuzzy, but the closest thing anyone has come up with out of the tales is that it was something like Attila."

Nick curled one side of his lip up shaking his head. "You mean like the Hun Attila?"

"No, the rabbits gave him that name because it meant scourge of the Gods."

"Rabbits gave him a different name... like foxes do?" Finnick asked with a disbelieving grimace.

“Come on, Mom. The king was a bear and he went looking for rabbits? That don’t make any sense if they were his children.” Nick griped in a sour face.

"I can't explain any of that. It never said he was a bear, it's just what part of the name Arthur means. Maybe he was a rabbit who had a bear as a friend? This story isn't written in one of our books. Do you want to hear the rest or not?" They both nodded as Rose held her paws in front of them before she started again. "It took a very long time to beat the jackal and he did some very bad things. He took the lives of thousands and left destruction in his path. He nearly beat the natives and it was the wolves who ended up in the final battle against him and his army. They killed him by tricking him when he was trying to get over a large body of water, making him think it was shallow water when it was very deep. One of the rabbits drowned, giving her own life so that the lady of the lake could return the sword to the king after they had built the temple."

"Why did she drown?" Finnick asked as one side of his lip went up.

"The lady of the lake was said to be a dark creature. Her fur moved as if it was underwater even as she stood above it. Her eyes were said to be so black and void of light that she could pull you in and you would be lost forever."

"What kind of mammal would look like that?" Finnick asked as he leaned back into the wall.

"She was a fox."

"So, it is a fox story? A fox like Dad?" Nick asked and Rose shook her head.

"No, nothing like your Dad. She didn't age, wear clothing or move like the other mammals. She was nothing but darkness and was said to be blacker than a shadow in the deepest cave and darkest waters. She said that the only way she could return the sword to the king was if someone gave their life so she had a light that would guide her back to him."

"You mean she…traveled in time or something?" Finnick asked, blinking.

"I guess that’s one way to think about it." Rose signed as Nick shook his head.

"Fairy tales Mom? Really?"

She laughed at the disgruntled look she was getting from her teenage son and Finnick shrugged. "Ain't no different than Robin Hood having magic shields and clothes that made him invisible."

"Yeah and if you believe that you're just as nuts as the stories are, Finnick." Nick barked, laughing as Finnick tossed a pillow at him.

"I never said I believed it, stupid!"

Rose stood shaking her head as Finnick jumped. Nick ducked the other way before he had the smaller fox pinned. "You still aren't fast enough to catch me, dummy."

Finnick rammed a fist into his side and cackled as Nick curled his paw into his chest hissing. "You jerk!"

The small fox shot back up smirking as Nick clutched his side. "Don't need to be fast when I’m still stronger that you, stupid."

Rose growled as Nick lunged at the smaller fox and both boys froze looking up as she folded her arms over her chest. "Sorry Mom." They both said as they glanced at each other sneering. One quick yip from Rose and Finnick scrambled up the ladder to his bed.

She sighed and ruffled the fur on his head. The small fox chuckled as she leaned down to Nick. "Did you get my flowers today for your honey?"

Nick smacked a paw to his face as she lifted a brow. "I left them in the van when we got home."

Rose nodded as she stood up and kept her paws in his view. "Well I'm not asking Weaselton to bring them back. You can go to Allen's stand tomorrow and get some more."

Finnick sat up scowling as he looked over the rail to his bed. "That ain’t fair! We're both grounded."

Rose lifted both brows and narrowed her eyes as Finnick dipped his ears back. "Life is not always fair. You will be going to help the Lunars while he’s gone and Skye is coming to help him with his finals tomorrow anyway."

Rose told them both goodnight before she flipped the light off and left the room. Finnick scowled as Nick snickered below him. "Screw you, Nick. The only reason Mom is still letting her come over is because they know you're a goody two shoes and won't do anything with her and you are gonna fail your finals if she aint helpin you anyway."

"Yeah and you're lucky they were both so upset that they didn't notice your little secret when you got home, Finnick. I can always tell if you want."

Finnick poked his head over the bed to find Nick grinning at him in a cocky mocking of an innocent smile as he rested his head in both paws behind his ears. "Dad already knew about her, and you're an asshole. Why didn't you let me tell him I was the one who got the stuff and where it came from?" Finnick growled as he rolled over.

Nick was almost snorting on the bed under his. "Eh," he huffed as he rolled over. "Consider it a payment owed for getting your nose broken when I didn't listen to you about Mary. I can't believe he didn't kill you." he almost hissed as Finnick threw the blanket over his head growling. "You got lucky, Finnick."

"A few times, Nick." the small fox shot back and they both laughed before they fell asleep....

Rose stepped out of the living room into the kitchen and raised both brows as Nicholas looked up from the grin he was trying to hide behind his paw. The vixen sat next to him as he bit his lip and shook his head as he held the papers in his paw pointing at them. "You’re never going to believe this." Rose looked at the papers and back to him as he started laughing. "That weasel isn't a weasel…. he's a fox." Rose scowled at him as he set the papers down and she picked them up reading through them before her eyes shot to him again. He was sitting there laughing as her jaw fell open.

"You knew him before we met?"

Nicholas ticked his head to one side. "Eh, not really. I think I was probably twelve when we met and I only talked to him for a few minutes. I was in a bit of a hurry and wanted to get away from the situation."

"You did this though?" she asked and Nicholas sighed as she dropped the papers on the table. They smiled at each other as she shook her head. "Are you going to continue to surprise me at every turn?" she asked as her paws rushed around in front of him. The silver fox shook his head smiling as he looked back at the papers. “This is why he warns us and kind of leaves us alone? Because of his little sister?”

Nicholas sighed as he scratched his neck and shook his head. "I'm not sure what happened. It was right after I ran away and I think…someone hit me on the head or something. When I woke up there was another mammal with me. I talked to her for a while but she couldn't keep her eyes open. She was scared, so I pulled the strings from around us and made her something. When the car finally stopped moving, I kicked out one of the taillights and saw how to open the trunk." He shrugged as Rose cringed. "That was how I got to Zootopia. I was as surprised as you are, Rose. I never would have put all that together. They aren't ready for this yet, but we can be when they are."

Rose handed him the paper she had brought in earlier and he wiped off the table again as she pointed at a pen before signing. "Then tell the rest of the story Nicholas. We don't have to tell them about everything but…."

Nicholas swallowed as he picked it up and took a deep breath as he set pen to paper. Rose squeezed his paw and he looked up as she shot across the table. "I can't tell the parts I don't know about, Rose."

The vixen bit her lip and shook her head and she kissed him softly several times before she sat back down and let go of his paw. "Then let the story write itself, Nicholas."

The silver fox nodded as he spoke out loud. "You'll have to help me keep track of this timeline so we get everything she wrote in at the right time. I'm going to have to write this like it isn't me talking, Rose." She bit her lip taking his other paw in hers as he started writing….

It was the day Nick turned three years old….

_Fayre stepped back to Nicholas and shook his head. 'Looks like everything is fine, John.'_

Rose gripped his paw tighter as the pen in his other stopped writing. Nicholas closed his eyes and cringed as he tried to pull some courage into his chest.

"That was when everything…went wrong." He said as Rose kept a firm grip on him.

The silver fox stalled as Rose pulled her paws away from him and he looked at her with a long face. "I wasn't there Nicholas, I can't write this part for you but I would if I could, we've never talked about it, but I want to know." she signed.

He sucked in a deep breath and sighed. "Are the boys in bed? Are they fighting again?" Rose smiled softly as she nodded.

"They are and yes. This isn't the first time Finnick has snuck out and Nicky has covered for him."

Nicholas looked back at her and tipped a brow, grinning as she shook her head. "I already know Nick wasn't sneaking out. There was no reason for him to with Skye being here so much, but I was curious about why Finnick kept doing it. I guess now I know and it won't be a problem anymore. It doesn't matter how much they argue when they will both still carry each other, does it?" The vixen bit her lip knowing he was having a hard time trying to go back into something they both avoided talking about. "You can do this, Nicholas." She signed before he looked at the pen in his paw. Nicholas slouched in the chair before he leaned over the table holding the pen. Rose grabbed his free paw in hers again as he started writing…

_It was the day Nick turned three years old and the moment everything, went wrong…_

Rose stopped him and he looked up as she shook her head. "Start at the beginning, Nicholas. Start the day we met. Let the story write itself. Let's not tell them just the bad things. Write the good ones too. Like Mum." She signed. He looked back at the paper and smiled, nodding as she tore the paper off and crumbled it up, tossing it to the trash. He closed his eyes, pulling himself together before he started writing again....

_I was trying to buy something from one of the vendors…_

_After getting everything in order, Rose put the papers away and held a paw out at the bottom of the stairs. Nicholas and Rose walked up stairs and crawled into bed, curling into each other after he flipped off the light beside their bed, still holding each other with everything they had, and wondering what the hell the gods had done as they began to remember everything from the past they'd written..._

**Notes;** **These two chapters are the only ones I have in order for this section and are being put up for the sole purpose of introducing the past. I haven’t written much on this in more than a year. In the last two years I’ve learned a few things that are still eating me and I’m losing something I’m having a hard time trying to keep a good grip on. My apologies to those I told I wouldn’t be returning and any others I may upset. I didn’t realize you could accidentally make a liar of yourself. Shrug- you live, you learn. I’m unable to write and have been for – a while. I really didn’t want to live in my head, but maybe having an imagination and somewhere to escape isn’t a bad thing. The last story I posted on another site was an attempt to overcome something and I didn’t respond much to the reviews because I truly _HATE-_ like - _LOATHE_ that story (So much I didn’t even put the art up for it). But I put it out there so I’ll own it too. We all talk to ourselves, and they say the worst thing that can happen is when you start talking back. It’s not- it’s when you don’t listen to yourself - this was how I worked out crap in my head and I’ve had a hard time reading a lot of what I’ve written and straightening it out because the messages I see in all the stories I’ve written are sticking out like a sore thumb. They all lead back to _this story_. The meaning and message in it hasn’t changed, nor has the reason I wanted to share it. I’m just hoping at this point the goal of it isn’t the same and I can get back to how it made me feel before. For the love of my life if nothing else… I am trying to change a singular thought that’s haunted me my whole life…. I’ve tried to stay chipper in my comments. Not feeling it. Again, apologies, if this isn’t edited well or I upset anyone. I try to avoid it, but I’m looking for something I found writing this story and I need to get back to it again. Sometimes the only way to move forward – is to go back. There are three sections that will be put up, two in tandem because they correlate over a long period of time. Hope it’s still happy reading to the Gods, Sandsstill ~**


	3. Obstruction Of View

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A note to anyone reading this crap- This is not a WildeHopps story. If that’s what you’re wanting, I suggest you wait for Into The Gray. While Judy will be making a few ‘appearances’ in the next few chapters of this section; Her and Nick don’t actually meet until 2016 and the plot for the movie stays in place. In other words, nothing from the movie will change, but I will be filling in the gaps from missing scenes to explain what happens in ‘my world’ of Zootopia. This is not a Disney cartoon or a fluffy tale- and the characters belong to Disney. Judy is about to make an entrance. Sort of-

**Obstruction of view***

Daryl Hall & John Oates; Missed Opportunity

Finnick looked up scowling and looked back at Nick from the back of the Lunar’s van. "This ain’t fair Mom! We're both grounded."

Rose lifted both brows and narrowed her eyes as Finnick dipped his ears back. "Life is not always fair. You will be going to help the Lunars while Dad’s gone and Skye is coming to help him with his finals today anyway. They need some help delivering the messages from the other dens and you being there will help them see foxes as part of everything in Zootopia because Nicky has to finish his paper today and can’t go this time."

Ms. Lunar smiled as Rose sighed. “I’ll bring him back as soon as we’re done.”

Rose nodded and stepped away. She watched the back doors close and the van pulled away as Skye came running up the street, motioning to the door. She motioned for the to go ahead and go inside. Looking back and watching eh van roll around the corner. The young vixen slipped into the house and Rose walked back to the yard, stopping at the mailbox and riffling through the mail. Skye shot out the door with her lips trembling. “Tell him if he needs my help to call me.”

Her ears dipped back and she looked at Rose frowning before she rushed away. Rose shook her head. When she went inside Nick was standing at the bottom of the stairs with a guilty look on his face. “Nicky? What happened? Were you fighting?”

Nick shook his head and cringed. He walked back up the stairs with his tail low as Rose chewed her lip. The vixen jumped as someone tapped her on the shoulder, and turned clapping a paw to her chest as Ms. Ambrosh stood in the door she’d left open. They took to the kitchen and sat talking until the pig looked at her watch and grabbed her bag, telling Rose she’d be in touch after she’d explained Nick’s final exam was just a paper he had to write that entailed all the classes he’d taken and a specific subject the instructor had chosen for each student.

After several hours had passed Nick came down the stairs holding his phone and shook his head. He read the message and sighed as Rose perked her brows. His ears folded to his head as he sat on the couch and buried his face in his paws. Even with Skye helping him prepare for the ‘exam’ over the last couple of months, he’d failed the final paper. Rose lifted his chin and he turned his eyes as she sat in his father’s chair and pulled his attention back to her. “I failed the paper. It was a flat F. Mom, I’m never going to be able to write that.”

She smiled softly as Nick sighed. “He said you could take it again within a month didn’t he Nicky? Skye said she’d come help you.”

“It doesn’t matter Mom, I know the material like the back of my paw and it’s not going to change. I just can’t write about it, even when I think about it I…hrk-

Rose cringed as he doubled over and grabbed his guts. Watching the door swing open as Finnick came in grumbling about all the places they stopped. He hopped up on the couch and shook his head as Nick looked up at him and frowned.

Rose cringed as she signed. “He failed the written paper for the last exam.”

The smaller fox was looking him over with a tipped brow and rolled his eyes. “Ya need to stop lookin at it like… ya know it happened years ago, right?”

Nick scowled at him as he sat up, “So, it still happened and it could happen again!”

Finnick ticked his head back and forth a few times before he shrugged. “Probably has more times than we know of, and is happenin somewhere right now.” He smacked is lips and licked around his muzzle, laughing as Nick curled up gagging.

Nick groaned and Finnick snickered before the red fox sat up snarling at him. “Thanks for that! It makes me feel so much better!”

Finnick shrugged as Nicholas came through the front door and watched his father chewing his lip. Rose turned to him with a raised brow as he grabbed the remote. “I don’t want any of you going out to eat anywhere. Mr. Big has a fishery that we’ll be getting all our meat from until whatever this is, is over.”

Rose watched him flip the television on and turned to the screen, reading the bottom of the screen after he tipped his head to the set.

Nicholas curled his lip as Nick and Finnick stared at the television, cringing as the news anchor detailed a case all the predators had been following closely. “In recent months the station has been following the progression of an insect disease carefully as it traveled through the wild bug populations. It is unclear what causes the disease or why it has effected the bug population the way it does. These little insects are ravaged by some kind of crippling illness that slowly paralyzes them and thousands have been found dead or dying in large groves around the world. It has recently been discovered that a previously unknown illness affecting predators has been linked to what has been named the wasting disease. Attempts to keep the illness from factory fed insects, fish, foul, and reptiles proved unsuccessful as at some point the insects were contaminated in nearly all the main branches and is proving difficult to contain as the larger stores of predator foods are fed the insects and have also been contaminated. It is unclear how the diseases got into the insects or even how it is being spread, but its effects on the predators who have eaten the contaminated proteins are devastating.”

“In an exclusive interview, several large corporations have announced there may be a mandatory recall on all processed predator foods to contain the damage the wasting disease may cause. This leaves a significant issue for predators as the insects supply is the main source of protein for all other types of protein predators consume. The franchise of Bugga Burger has taken bug protein off their menus and is trying to sell only the larger portioned meats predators need. In an attempt to keep the illness from corrupting the factories that supply predator foods, a massive cleansing is sweeping through the processing facilities to try to stop any more damage the infected bug population has already caused. Many predator restaurants have closed their doors and are shutting down due to fear of law suits from the illness being served to clients.”

Rose looked back at Nicholas chewing her lip and pulled him into the kitchen watching both boys gaping at the screen keeping their conversation in sign and silent. “Nicholas, why would they put this on the television! Don’t they know this may cause a panic-

Nicholas sighed as he shook his head. “I don’t think they had a choice Rose. There have been thirty-six confirmed cases in Zootopia. Several of them have died. It’s hard to explain, but whatever is killing the bugs has a similar effect on the predators who eat them or what has eaten the bugs. We don’t really need to eat meat like the other predators do, we can fall back on beans and nuts if we have to, but the larger species can’t do that.”

He tipped his head back to the screen and Rose turned watching the reporter tip her ears as several pictures came up. Nick turned his head as Finnick cringed, listening to her as she continued to explain the current situation. “The affected insects appear to lose the ability to move or lose control of their motor functions and simply stop where they are and slowly perish. The effects on predators who have consumed contaminated proteins is similar, but far more crippling as it attacks certain some body parts that eventually become infected and have to be removed, or settles in the nervous system and causes severe damage to major organs and failures of bodily functions critical for survival. The only thing that is of unusual nature is that the bug populations in the wild seem to come together in hordes and congregate in their last few hours of death. The insects act as if they are migrating while in the second stage of the disease and colonize into what has become known as Death Drones. These giant swarms of insects settle in a final place and have left some communities struggling to clean up the masses that pile together and are speculated to reach into millions of dead insects. This has been compounded as there is a significant fear of burning these Death Drone piles and releasing contamination to other insects through the smoke or air. Scientists aren’t certain how the wasting disease is spreading through the bug populations and have been unable to determine what causes this disease, even through extensive study of the insects as they begin to show initial signs of the disease. It appears to be a naturally evolving virus within the insect population that affects crickets more than most others, disrupting the food chain. The government is urging all predators to start inspecting their proteins carefully for any signs that it may be contaminated by anything that may look or smell out of place, but it’s also not clear on exactly how to identify it in processed foods as it cannot be identified in living insects, foul, fish, or reptiles until it has reached a critical stage. The CDC is urging predators who are showing any of these symptoms to immediately go to a hospital. Any kind of fatigue, confusion, losing track of time or becoming disoriented easily. Other symptoms include paralysis of limbs, or loss of feeling in the extremities, ringing in the ears, lack of interest in activities, food, water, becoming lethargic or acting as if they may have lost touch with their senses. These symptoms can be fatal if they are ignored and are a result of eating contaminated proteins.”

Nick stood and rushed up the stairs as Finnick looked back and saw his parents sighing. Nicholas looked at Finnick and the small fox jumped off the couch, heading for the stairs. “Ain’t nobody gotta explain that to either of us Dad. If it gets worse and we don’t all die from starving we’re runnin the risk of getting killed for them thinkin we’re gonna eat em.” Nicholas curled one shoulder up as Finnick took off up the stairs, looking back at Rose as she dropped her eyes.

Finnick walked into the bedroom and jumped in the chair across from the desk as Nick sat on the bottom bunk rubbing his chest. “Keep that up and your gonna rub the fur off your chest.” Nick scowled at him as he shrugged. “ You failed the paper? Why didn’t ya let Skye help ya?”

Nick curled one side of his lip and growled as Finnick chuckled. “I tried, you know what kind of help she was trying to offer.”

Finnick laughed as Nick rolled his eyes. “Mom said she was pretty shook up when she left. What’d ya do this time?”

Nick groaned as he leaned back on the bed. “It was an accident, I think I scared her.”

“I doubt that. Whatcha do?”

Nick watched Finnick tip a brow and huffed. “She just gets too….pawsy. I sort of…” He scratched his head as his shoulders scrunched up. “Snapped at her again I guess.”

Finnick shook his head as he hopped off the chair and opened the closet. “Yeah well I’m sure she knows how it works. Vixens get kinda one minded when they want to…” He looked back and saw Nick narrowing his eyes and laughed as he looked back into the closet, his eyes going wide as a wall of-junk fell on him.

Nick sat up laughing as Finnick was buried by everything that fell out, and all he could see was his brother’s ears. The smaller fox popped out of the pile of what everyone else considered junk, and leaned into one paw as Nick kept chuckling. “Why do you keep all that crap?”

Finnick shrugged. “It’s my crap. You give Dad the money yet?”

Nick groaned as he fell back on his bed, listening to Finnick trying to dig his way out of the mess from the closet. “I didn’t have time today. Mrs. Ambrosh left right before you got back and Roger picked up Skye before she got here. Why can’t you do it Finnick?”

“Cause it wasn’t my idea to help the damn deer and I got stuck with the Lunars for the next month trapsin through the districts while you get to sit here on your damn tail and try to write that paper - again!” Finick growled as he kicked several things back into the closet, shoving the door closed after plucking a box from the mess. He grabbed something from the box and sighed as he cracked the closet door and shoved the box back in the closet before slamming it again.

“How can you find anything in that mess?”

“How can you not take care of your damn girl without getting them teeth flashing at her?” Nick’s ears pinned back as Finnick snickered and tossed several bills at him. “Give it to Dad. It’s my half of what he gave Weaselton. I got some other business to take care of this week and I need that taken care of first.”

“What business?”

Finnick looked back at him grinning as he hopped on the ladder and Nick sat up cocking his head to the side. “Jimmy said somethin about the popsicle sticks goin to waste and it got me thinkin about all the districts we go to. I’m gonna see if I can have em bleached and reuse em or recycle em somehow. I gotta ask around and get some ideas, but Mrs. Lunar took me over to the supermarket that shut down on Degra Drive and I picked up a few recycling bins. Moms takin me to rent a storage shed tomorrow and get a bank account set up.”

Nick curled his lip at his brother as Finnick chuckled. “I’d never put my money in a bank. Its stupid Finnick. Do you know how many times they have failed and people have lost their money?”

“Pff.” Finnick scoffed as he looked through the medal ladder. “You wanna keep it in your damn mattress or somethin? Tell me how much better that is? Look at me, I’m always gonna look tiny and cute to the rest of the world. Tiny and cute says easy target. I ain’t carryin my cash around or leavin it where someone else can find it.”

“Finnick, at least go with me to give this back to Dad.”

Finnick perked his ears and narrowed his eyes as Nick pinned his to his head. “Ya want me to help with that? Ya that damn bothered by talkin to him?” Nick looked away scowling as Finnick rolled his eyes. “Ok. Get your half and let’s get it over with, but its gonna cost ya.”

Nick perked his ears as Finnick rested his chin on one of the ladder rungs and scrunched his nose up grinning. He bounced his brows and Nick curled his lip as he rubbed his fingers together. “How much this time?”

“I don’t want no money Nick. Take care of that damn girl and let her help you get that paper finished.”

Nick shot up with his teeth showing as Finnick laughed. “She put you up to this didn’t she?!”

“No. I just think you ain’t got no balls. Can’t talk to Dad, can’t take care of Skye, I mean I can make a list that..

“Go screw, Finnick.” Nick threw the money at him and fell back on the bed as the small fox jumped down beside him and curled his lip as Nick looked back at him frowning.

“I would if I wasn’t grounded and hadn’t got caught. Handle your shit Nick. If ya can’t do it with your own, how the hell ya gonna do it with anybody else? We got some good gigs comin up and I don’t want the band getting screwed cause you can’t say somethin. I ain’t big enough to handle all this shit and I don’t like getting walked all over like we did the last time we played somewhere. Make a point of it.”

Nick growled as he sat up and looked at Finnick as he raised a brow. “You want me to make a point?” The young red fox looked off and chewed his lip as Finnick tipped his ears. He grabbed the cash Finnick had picked up and shot off the bed, pulling his phone from his pocket. After a few seconds of absently staring at the screen he tapped it several times and chuckled as Finnick jumped down and cocked his head to one side, following him out the door and back down the stairs.

Nicholas and Rose looked up from the kitchen table as Nick tossed four hundred dollars in front of them. “It’s for what you gave Weaselton.”

Nicholas picked it up blinking as he looked at his sons. “Where did you get this much money?”

Nick shrugged and left the room as Finnick bit his lip. Rose turned with her jaw hanging as the small fox shot her a cheesy smile. “You’re gonna know tomorrow anyway. We’re probably gonna have to make a few trips back and forth to the bank to deposit all the money I got. Nick don’t wanna put his in the bank. Between the two of us we been makin about two hundred dollars a day, every day we been doin the pawpsicles. We split the money. Well, since Mrs. Lunar started takin us over to Tundra Town to freeze them anyway. If I can get something set up to recycle the popsicle sticks I think I can double it. I don’t never carry more than forty in cash though.”

“You’ve been doin that every day since Nick was twelve.” Nicholas blinked as Finnick shrugged and walked away with a cocky smirk. Rose looked back at him as he looked at the money and slowly shook his head. “Two hundred dollars a day since…four years, that would be….Oh my gods…..” He looked up and found Rose slack jawed as he shook his head. “Even if I figured in what they were spending on the popsicles, the sticks, the ice, paying Weaselton, the gas for the lunars they would still have saved……” he fell back in the chair with his eyes ticking as Rose stared off in disbelief. “THEY HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY HIDDEN IN THE HOUSE!?” Rose jarred as Nicholas grabbed her and shook her out of her stupor. “They can’t keep that much money laying around the house Rose!”

She jolted out of her chair as Nicholas shot through the living room and rushed up the stairs, almost crashing through their bedroom door. He collected his breath as Nick sat up on the bed and Finnick looked over the safety guard on the top bunk as their father looked between them. “You have a hundred…a ridiculous amount of money saved from doing this the last four years?”

Nick looked at him smirking and scrunched his nose as Finnick smiled. They both nodded as Rose stood there shaking her head. “Boys, I can’t come anywhere near telling you how proud I am of both of you. I couldn’t dream of having that kind of money at your ages, but you can’t keep that much money in the house! If anyone, for any reason ever knew that kind of money was here or we had it-

Finnick fell back laughing and Nick cocked his head to the side and rolled his eyes. “It’s not in the house Dad. I have it hidden somewhere else. We only go there once a week to drop it off.”

Rose and Nicholas looked at each other as Finnick looked over the rail and tipped his head. Nick sighed as he stood up and pulled a drawer open on the desk, handing some papers to his father. Nicholas unrolled it and looked it over curling a brow as Rose looked over his arm shaking her head. “You...how did you buy property! You won’t even be sixteen until next week!”

Nick looked up and caught Finnick snickering as he covered his head with a pillow. Nicholas gaped at him as Nick sighed and Rose just stood there looking between them with her mouth partially open. “They didn’t care Dad. All I had to show them was my credentials from the college. The property has been abandoned for years and no one will go anywhere near the place. Everyone thinks its haunted or cursed or something.” Finnick tossed his paws up and started making moaning and wailing ghosts sounds before they both fell over laughing. Rose plucked the deed from Nicholas’ paws and sat at the end of Nick’s bed shaking her head.

“You bought the Fear Factory?” She asked in sign as she pulled her knees up on the bed and watched Nick shrug as he nodded.

“Actually the last name it had was the Linebaugh Factory. It was the name of the people who owned the place and the largest gun they made, but they were outlawed before they were distributed. That’s why the place got shut down. It’s where Jimmy and Johnny meet us to practice. Skye comes out there too. Nobody ever bothers us and the place is huge. It needed a few repairs, but most people who go up to it being nosey see the locks and the signs they left about it being dangerous and don’t bother anything. The place is still in pretty good condition. We cleared out a lot of junk and made a few rooms to use, but almost all the equipment from the place was removed because they thought it might be dangerous and didn’t want to risk leaving something there someone could get their paws on. I did a bunch of research on it before I bought it. The money we’ve saved was hidden in the building, but someone would probably have to demolish the place to find it. He has more than I do because I bought the place. The city was happy to get rid of it. All I have to do is have someone come out there once a week and make sure the grass doesn’t get out of control. I just hired the guy they already had doing it and the city doesn’t have to pay to maintain the place anymore. The lady at City hall said it was going to cost them more to tear it down or maintain it than to sell it.”

Finnick laughed as Nick looked up at him grinning. “Ya shoulda seen her face when Nick tossed a bag of cash on her desk. I thought she was gonna pass out. She called someone else down from the main part of city hall and the guy just shook his head. Looked us over and asked how old we was, asked Nick if he understood he would be responsible for maintain the building and the land around it, the taxes, blah blah blah. Nick showed him his college transcripts and the guy looked him over and rubbed his chin then he asked if we both knew why the place was abandoned.” Finnick looked over the bed when Nick fell over laughing again.

“OOOh,” Nick said in a spooky voice as he waved his paws around. “After the guy explained it was foxes who owned the place the last time and that it was the last place in Zootopia that made firearms, he also explained most people wouldn’t go near it because they thought the people killed by the guns made there haunted the place and it was cursed, he also informed me that there were no more machines in the place and it had been stripped of all the equipment they used. I said PERFEICT! He looked at the chick we started talking to and told her to draw up the papers. So I own the ‘Fear Factory’ now.”

“He didn’t even ask you where you got the money?” Nicholas asked as Rose cupped a paw over her muzzle.

Nick shook his head as Finnick poked his head over the bed again. “No. I’m pretty sure he thought it was from college loans or grants the way he kept looking over my papers. You should have seen Jimmy and Johnny the first time we went there though. I thought they were going to jump out of their fur every time something made a funny noise in the place.”

Nicholas pulled the chair to the desk out and took a seat staring between the two boys as they both sat up grinning. “Why…I mean why didn’t you tell us or let us help with… where were you keeping it before you bought the place? What were you doing with it before? You bought this place less than a year ago.”

Rose snapped her mouth shut as Nick dropped his head. She brushed a paw over his mattress and started giggling as Nicholas looked between them. “That’s why you needed a new mattress?” Rose asked in sign as Nick’s ears pinned to his head.

Finnick cackled as he fell back and jostled the whole bed. “And why he was griping about his back hurting all the time. Stupid was taking a pawful of stuffing to the trash every day and replacing it with a wad of cash. Hahaha!”

“Shut up.” Nick growled as he glared at the bottom of Finnick’s mattress. “It was your money too.”

Rose bit her lip as she watched Nicholas tick his eyes around the floor. “How did you move that much money without us noticing it? Or- anyone from noticing it?!”

Nick snickered as Finnick leaned over the bed and narrowed his eyes. “I will kill you if you tell!”

“Aww,” Nick swooned as Finnick pulled his lips over his teeth. “But you looked so cute as a fat little baby elephant helping your big brother move those old guitar cases that looked like trash! He really waddled too!”

“YOUR DEAD NICK!”

Nicolas grabbed Finnick by the scruff as he jumped off the top bunk and stood with him dangling in front of Nick’s bed as Rose pulled her lips into her mouth trying not to laugh. “Alright, I got the picture. How much do you still have in the house and are you sure it’s safe where you have it?”

Finnick crossed his arms over his chest glaring at Nick as he scrunched his muzzle. “Yeah its safe. Like I said somebody would have to demolish the place to find it. Finnick is the only one who’s small enough to get to it. I only have about a hundred dollars here. He don’t like carrying more than forty on him, but you should look in the closet.”

Nicholas looked at Finnick with a cringe as the small foxes ears tipped back. “Son, please tell me you don’t….” The silver fox’s ears tipped back as Finnick curled into a ball. He sighed as he sat him down and sat back in the chair. “I’ll have to call Mr. Big and ask him to help you tomorrow Rose.” The vixen watched Nick turn shaking his head as his lips pursed in an angry scowl. “Boys, a fox cannot walk into a bank with that much money and it’s not safe to try to move that much of it around for us, or keep it in our home. Nick, he can get you an account too so it isn’t-

“No.” Nick shook his head and Nicholas blinked at him as his jaw clenched several times. “Nobody is messing with my money.”

Nicholas looked at Rose and her ears tipped back as he shook his head and sighed. “Alright, but you know I’ve told you before it’s not safe to put all your eggs in one basket. It’s a lot easier for someone to steal that way.”

“And how is a bank not like a basket Dad? Or an account with someone else’s name on it?” Nick asked as Nicholas stood from the chair and looked back at him chewing his lip.

“Mr. Big would never steal from us Nick.”

“I’m not saying he would. But I know that lots of people have lost money to banks…. and people who had access to their money.”

Nicholas tipped his head and sighed as he left the room. Rose looked at Nick with a long face as he shook his head and went after his father. He sat at the kitchen table and Rose wilted as he cupped both paws over his ears. “The test was today, how did he-

Rose shook her head and sat with him. “Ms. Ambrosh wants to come the day he does the next one. Skye left before she got here today. I didn’t get to explain what the problem was but she knows about the paper.”

Nicholas looked up at her and back to the living room, listening to the boys bickering. Finnick curled his lips up as Nick folded his arms over his chest. She left shaking her head as Finnick looked back at Nick growling. “What the actual fuck Nick?!”

Nick straightened his back and sat up, lowering his head as Finnick kept his teeth showing. “Hey dummy- I won’t be sixteen for another week. You won’t be for a few years. That means someone else’s name has to be on the account- you really want to put all your money in the bank with Big’s name or one of his people’s name attached to it, when everybody knows what he does for a living?”

Finnick shook his head as Nick kept glaring at him. “Ya know you can be a dick, right?”

Nick mocked him as he swung his head back and forth and used the accent he’d picked up from hanging around Mr. Melgic so often. “Ya know if he ever gets caught the government can freeze his assets and anything with his name attached to it?”

Finnick rolled his eyes as he hopped up on the ladder. “Damn you’re paranoid. That ain’t likely to happen with Dad bein the king.”

“No, I’m right. That makes it even worse cause our family will get dragged into it for the whole world to see and be screwed in the process on top of losing everything. Not to mention what it would mean for all the _other_ foxes.”

Finnick stopped on the ladder and cringed as he shook his head. “I think you got too much nasty shit stuck in your head college boy. Why don’tcha try thinkin about better things instead of all that crap you been readin about.”

Nick sighed as he watched Finnick crawl over the top of the bed. “I don’t have to read. Once I see it it’s stuck in my head.”

“Well fuck Nick. Get your head on somethin else.”

Nick rolled over and grabbed his pillow. “How the hell do I do that? Do you have any idea what I had to look at for some of those classes?”

Finnick puffed a breath as he looked over the edge of the bed. “Why ya gotta keep the dark shit in your head? It ain’t all ya’ve read. You fail and ya can’t retake it. It’s like ya wasted four years of our life! What happened with Skye today? Why ain’t ya doin anything with her?”

Nick growled as he rolled over and looked at Finnick. “I told you why!” Finnick glared at him. “Come on Finnick! She’s…. damn she’s…”

“Aggressive?” Finnick asked and rolled his eyes as Nick sighed. “Dad told ya all vixens are like that.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think _I would be_.”

Finnick leaned over so that his head was hanging off the bed. “You?”

Nick threw an arm over his eyes as he groaned. “I always feel guilty when she tries something. The more pushy she is and the more I try to…I don’t know, convince her to wait the worse I get with her. I snapped at her today. I don’t mean I yelled or got mad. I mean I literally snapped my teeth at her and growled like…”

Finnick laughed and Nick looked up at him snarling. “Don’t ya know what that means?”

“That I’m gonna bite her?!”

“Ya want to stupid.”

“Finnick, why the hell do you always have to do that! You act like you’re explaining something and you- When Finnick laughed Nick shot off the bed and snarled as he leaned his head back.

The smaller fox rolled his eyes as Nick’s teeth landed in his face. “Cause I am explainin somethin, ya gonna shut up and listen or ya wanna forget that I’ve been with a few girls before? Which is just damn sad.” Nick curled his lip as Finnick sighed. “Dad explained this ya know. You’re supposed to do that with your mate. If you’re worried about claimin her too early then make sure ya don’t. Ya ain’t snappin at her tryin to claim her Nick. You’re snappin at her cause ya ain’t got no boundaries set. Ya wanna set boundaries you’re gonna have to wrap your jaw around her throat and keep her away from your ears at the same time so she gets the message.” Nick blinked and one side of his lip curled up as Finnick rolled over laughing. “Ya ain’t claimin her if you’re just letting her know there’s limits to what she can and can’t do. Stupid. Draw a fuckin line next time she tries somethin. Make some kinda compromise.”

Nick’s ears pinned back and he fell on the bed groaning. “She’s not supposed to come over again until next week.”

“Then ya got plenty of time to think of somethin.” Finnick sat up in the bed and jumped onto the ladder as both their ears tipped up. One glance and they rushed down the stairs as sirens blared loud enough it was obvious they were headed their direction. Nicholas opened the door and Rose peeked out biting her lip as an ambulance stopped next door. Nick and Finnick glanced at each other from the top of the stairs and rushed out between their parents. They both walked to the fence as Mrs. Hayward wrung her paws, watching the paramedics roll out a gurney with Mr. Hayward. The older badger was sniffling as her husband told them to stop. The tech rolling the gurney stopped on the sidewalk and sighed as he motioned for both boys to come closer. Nick and Finnick glanced at each other before coming out the front gate and Richard chuckled as he stuck a paw in his pocket before handing them each several chocolate covered gold coins. They stepped back as the paramedic shook his head and stuck the end of the bed in the ambulance, watching the wheels fold up as it was pushed inside. The doors closed after he told Mrs. Hayward she couldn’t ride with them. Nicholas stepped out of the yard and placed a paw on her shoulder as they watched the ambulance pull away from the curb. He looked back at Rose and closed his eyes as he grabbed his keys from his pocket. “I’ll drive you Clara.”

She turned and grabbed him as both boys glued their ears to their heads. “Dad?” Nick asked as he looked between him and the road. Nicholas nodded and both boys hopped in the back of the car. He gave Rose a peck on the cheek and told her he would let her know what was happening when they got back. Nick and Finnick stayed silent in the back seat as Mrs. Hayward let her head hang. The old badger who had always snuck them chocolate was nothing but a rail compared to what his species was meant to look like, and most of his fur had thinned to the point he almost looked bald. He’d rarely come outside in the last year, but every time he had, he’d still brought a pawful of chocolate coins to them wearing a bright smile as Rose rolled her eyes. Nicholas looked in the mirror and caught Nick staring at the candy coins in his paw. He pulled into the parking lot and turned in his seat as Clara stared at the front entrance. “Clara?”

She turned smiling at him with a wobbly lip and shied her eyes. “My daughter is on her way from San Fran Minko. Our son said he wasn’t going to make it. He’s offshore doing some kind of drilling and they only ferry them back to the harbor once a job is finished.”

Nicholas grabbed her paw as she dropped her head. She sniffled as she opened the door and he motioned to the boys as he got out of the car. Nick and Finnick took seats in the lobby until Mrs. Hayward knew where she was going, and they followed her to a room where she stepped in talking to a friendly doctor who seemed very familiar with them. Both boys were leaning against the wall swinging their eyes between the old badger in the bed who looked like he was struggling to breath as she sat in a chair and let her head fall. Nick and Finnick both sat up as a younger female badger rushed into the room and Nicholas stepped out as she shot him a suspicious glare. The silver fox sighed as he looked around for a place to sit down. It was Mr. Hayward who barked at his daughter and yanked their attention back to the room. Mrs. Hayward was sobbing and her daughter backed away from the bed as he called both boys into the room. Nick and Finnick looked at each other uneasily and back to their father as he shrugged and motioned to the room.

Their ears tilted back as the old badger sat up fighting for air and held out another pawful of gold coins. The doctor in the room cringed as he glared at his daughter. “If that’s all your worried about and you keep that up I will! This is not the time or place for that kinda bullshit!” Mr. Hayward spat as his lips pulled over his teeth. He tipped his head and Finnick jumped on the bed with him. Nick stepped on the other side and cringed as he held out another pawful of coins he pulled from the bag the nurses had put his personal belongings in. “Every gods damned bit of it.” He growled as he handed Nick and Finnick the rest of the candy he’d had in his pockets. Their daughter dipped her ears back and turned her eyes when her mother almost caught him as he started falling over. The younger female dropped her chin as Nick and Finnick both blinked. In all the years they’d known the guy famous for handing out chocolate to all the kits in the neighborhood, they’d never seen him actually yell at someone. Then again, they’d never met Mr. And Mrs. Haywards children either. Nicholas tilted his head as Mrs. Hayward helped him get laid back down. The boys stepped into the hall with their father and took up residence leaning against the opposite wall as Mr. Hayward shakily called his father back to the room. They watched as a low conversation took place and Nick sighed as he looked down the hall, curling his brow as he tapped Finnick.

Finnick leaned forward curling a brow as several bunnies bounced back and forth between two rooms. “What are they doin here? Ain’t this the wing they specialize for predators?”

“Yeah.” Nick replied as he tilted his head, watching a little gray doe hopping back and forth between the rooms as a black and white furred bunny kept chasing behind her.

“Ashly! Bobbi says he’s coming to your room and he doesn’t care what the doctor says!” She squealed as the black and white furred rabbit shook his head and rolled his eyes chasing her back into the opposite room. Nick and Finnick pinned their ears back as they heard a squeal that automatically caused them to cup their paws over their ears.

“TADA! Would you quit running back and forth between the rooms! Pop is gonna come back and make us go home!”

Another high-pitched giggle had the young red fox squinting as he shoved off the wall and took a few steps down the hall, watching the bunnies chase each other back and forth again. The larger of the two groaned as he stepped out of one room, nervously looking down the hall before he pulled a bobcat out with him. The little doe he’d been chasing was bouncing under the cats other arm as she kept giggling, but her face stayed hidden as she tried to help him lean into the crutch he was holding. Nick stopped as Finnick yanked the fur on his leg. He frowned at the small fox and looked back as the black and white bunny turned into the other room, rolling his eyes as he jarred an arm against the door to keep the cat from falling over as the doe under his arm shot back into the room laughing. Nick cringed as the bob cat chuckled at the black and white bunny. He turned his eyes seeing the bandages wrapped around where his tail had once been and looked down at Finnick after he growled at him. “I just want to know why bunnies are hanging around with predators Finnick. I mean look at them. That little bunny can’t be, she’s a little kit and her parents are letting them both run around here with a bobcat?”

Finnick rolled his eyes as Nick crept down the hall. “Hey, you two get back down here!” They turned watching an orderly stick his paws on his hips and shake his head. “Stay away from those rooms unless you want to get sick.”

Nick and Finnick looked at each other as their ears flicked back and forth listening to the bunnies laughing again. “Why are you letting them run back and forth then?” Nick asked shaking his head.

The orderly was a small leopard who rolled his eyes. “They won’t get sick because they’re prey, nobody knows how the wasting disease is spreading.”

Nick folded his ears back as Finnick looked back to the room. “It’s from food, not being around people who are sick.”

The leopard stuck his arms over his chest and scowled. “And you think that can’t change? They had to cut one of their tails off after it died and the other one they can’t do anything for. They aren’t even sure how long they can live after they get sick like that.”

Nick tumbled forward as something hit him in the back and rolled over, watching Finnick cock his head to one side as he looked behind them. The little gray doe who had been running between rooms rolled over shaking her head as Nick sat up and curled his lip up in a light growl. He started to stand watching her shake her head with a paw to her face as the buck who’d been chasing her around shot between them and showed his teeth as if he were about to snarl. Nick and Finnick both took a step back out of nothing more than shock as his chin and brows dropped in an angry tilt. He looked like he had a white hour glass over his face that went down his chin and the rest of him was black as polished coal. “Tada, hurry up and get the box we brought for Ashly.”

The little doe bolted off the floor back into the opposite room, too busy in her own little world to be paying attention to anything else as Nick tilted his head to one side, giving the buck a strange look. When she hopped out of the room holding a box of donuts Nick shook his head at the way he walked to keep her out of their line of sight. “It’s weird you’re hanging around predators. Got a problem bunny?” Nick asked as the black and white buck stepped to the door and watched the little doe slip inside giggling.

“The only problem I have with predators is with red foxes, like you.”

Nick pulled his lips up exposing his gums and blinked as the buck smirked.

“Boys.” He turned still scowling as their father stuck his paws on his hips and tilted his head to exit.

“Dumb bunnies.” Nick mumbled as he walked past his father muttering and looked back at the buck still smirking from the door.

The door closed as Finnick shook his head. “Weird rabbit.”

He looked up as Nicholas glanced back at the door shaking his head. “He’s not a rabbit.”

Nick stopped as he held the door open and shook his head as his father sighed. “Hare? He didn’t look big enough to be a hare and his ears were too long.”

“No he’s not a hare either. He’s half rabbit and half hare.”

Nick stopped as Nicholas stepped out into the parking lot and curled his lip. Nicholas looked back and found both boys with confusion written on their faces as he motioned to the car. As they both stepped away from the hospital Nicholas sighed. “There are a few species that can have kits with other species, but their offspring aren’t born with the ability to talk or function like the rest of us do. They’re also very temperamental, prone to fits of emotional outbursts and are born sterile. Rabbits and hares are the only species on the planet that can mate and have kits who don’t fall into that category. But they’re rare because most mammals will stick with their own kind to have kits and avoid having kits they know can’t function like the rest of us.” Nick stopped at the car and curled his lip as Nicholas looked at him over the hood. “You didn’t learn anything about that in school?”

Nick shook his head as he slid into the car. “No and it kind of surprises me with everything else I had to study.”

Nicholas nodded as he looked over the back of the seat to backout, watching Finnick’s ear perk from under his arm. “There’s some taboo against that kind of breeding because the offspring are born more like our ancestors were. People stopped breeding like that because of the problems it caused for the offspring and the communities they were in. Look up Ligers and Jackasses and you’ll see why. They just didn’t fit anywhere and were miserable animals. People stopped any kind of breeding like that because it was cruel to the kits.”

“What about Mr. Hayward?” Finick asked trying to look out the window.

Nicholas flipped his ears back as Finnick poked his head over the seat. “It’s a family thing going on right now and we don’t belong here. Clara knows to call me if she needs anything and so does Richard.”

Nick looked back at the hospital and flipped his ears back as Nicholas pulled to the stop sign that led back to the streets. “What do you mean it was cruel to the kits?”

Nickolas looked back at Nick as he turned in the seat. “Most of their offspring were mindless and used for laborers, if they could be controlled. A lot of the predators between two species and some of the pray had to be put down after a certain age because they became aggressive and attacked other people. The ones that lived weren’t even that lucky.”

“Lucky? How is that lucky? Was that guy like them?” Finnick asked shaking his head.

Nicholas sighed. “No he’s not. They just don’t fit in with either species and its still a cruel life. The ones that lived weren’t treated well and through history most of them were worked to death. They ended up being slaves or were bred and sold specifically for that purpose. Jackasses were about the most temperamental of them and the word isn’t used very often because its considered so offensive. It was never made into a law that they couldn’t be bred, people just stopped doing it because even way back then they could see it was wrong after what was happening to half breeds was exposed. All the species still just kind of…keep to their own kind.”

Nick curled his lip looking back at the hospital. “Why would bunnies be hanging around with predators?”

Nickolas sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know a lot about bunnies or hares, so it’s not something I can explain kitto.”

“How could you tell he wasn’t a bunny then? He looked like a bunny to me.”

Nicholas glanced at Nick and back to Finnick as the smaller fox’s ears set. “Half breeds always have an extra toe on one of their feet called a dew claw.”

“Just one? They have nine toes?” Nick asked shaking his head.

Nicholas shrugged. “No one knows why, even the prey mammals that were half breeds had one. Right above their ankle on one of their feet. It’s not very big and most people don’t notice it because all other animals lost them a long time ago. Most half breeds between rabbits and hares have them removed when they’re young. It’s sort of like an appendix or the gland all females have that no one can figure out the purpose of. Some piece of anatomy that we’ve evolved beyond using that’s still there.”

“Appendix?” Finnick asked curiously as Nicholas looked in the back seat and shrugged.

“We don’t have one. There are only nine mammals alive that still do. Rabbits are one of them. No one knows what its for. They think maybe seeds or something. It can kill someone if it gets infected just like the gland females have.”

“Why?” Nick asked as he looked back at the hospital.

“Nobody knows. The organs can just go haywire and make someone sick. You’d have to look at anatomy to see what other species has an appendix, but all females have that extra piece from their ancestors. It’s just something scientists think is left over from the past, no one’s figured out what they’re for and probably never will. Most of the time they don’t cause problems so they just leave them alone.”

“Weird….” Nick caught the window of the room the little doe had rushed into with the buck and leaned forward watching a chubby cheetah laughing as she hopped up and down on the bed. The bob cat slid into view just as the doe turned her head where he almost caught her face and lost sight of them as Nicholas turned the corner….

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**Notes; The idea of insects dying off in hordes is based on facts from countries around the world where this actually happens. The illness in the bugs that are dying off in swarms of all different species hasn’t been identified and there is no scientific explanation for it. Many people don’t think about the ramifications of what would happen if the insect population started dying.**

**Its theorized by science that one reason for the mass extinction of dinosaurs was the loss of plant life/ The predators starved because the prey starved. If the bug populations that feed the fish, foul, reptiles or amphibians died off, so would everything else. It would essentially break down the food chain at a different angle and have the same affect.**

**In Zootopia things are backwards and it would be the predators who started starving and dying due to the loss of the insect population. The social ramifications of this happening in a world where animals are trying to live in harmony and have left instinct behind would be monumental without another source of protein. They would have to revert back to primal survival instincts. If they didn’t they would starve and there would be a risk of overpopulation by the prey species without the balance in the ecosystem if the bugs dying didn’t affect plant life (Which they eventually would because they also pollenate plants, unless the plant population is controlled as well- which it is - in this world of Zootopia. Rabbits have a firm grip on the food industry.)**

**The wasting disease is a real thing. It primarily targets deer and elk, or large prey species. In this story it targets insects that are eaten by all other animals and consumed by larger predators. Foxes could get by without this protein along with a few other small omnivores, but most larger predator species wouldn’t be able to supplement their diets with a substitute.**

**The 'Fear Factory' is loosely based on the idea of the Winchester House being haunted by the spirits of people the guns the factory made killed. Foxes don’t believe in an afterlife- so it being haunted is a ridiculous notion to all of them.**

**Personal musing; Funny thing about starving artists is that they’re starving for their art, and can’t create art if they aren’t starving. I need a million cheeseburgers - I’m also extremely picky, so writing what I recently have and bringing what I found up to standards is taking forever which is why it’s being posted the way it is and in the strange patterns…. I found a hundred finished chapters of this crap (I do mean crap- dog crap- and I expect many others to view it the same.) They all need to be cleaned up and put in order with writing to fill in gaps. Thanks to someone pissing me off and reminding me that some PEOPLE DON’T CHANGE, I can do that. (Well sh**- I’m a people too!) Somebody tells me I shouldn’t do something or can’t handle it, I’ll do it just to prove them wrong before I walk away. This is something I need to finish so I can let it go. Its personal to me, even if it’s just a story to anyone else. No one who writes can say something they’ve written isn’t personal, because they pour themselves into it. Sometimes the only person you have to get past to reach another level is yourself- I don’t care if anyone likes the story or not. It has a point that’s important to me.**

**Lemme explain the feedback thing thoroughly- Every writer on this site and anywhere else on the planet loves hearing someone likes their work. Someone saying it sucks usually hurts their feelings- Not my problem. I hated the highs and low that came with feedback on a few levels and dealing with rude and /or stupid people who don’t think before they speak- didn’t mean I had a problem dealing with either. What I couldn’t explain was I didn’t care for liking the attention. I spent the majority of my life after a certain age trying to avoid drawing attention to myself because sometimes if people notice you’re different, the kind of attention it draws is the last thing you’re looking for and something you want to avoid for the rest of your life. Like I said, Internal problem - had nothing to do with the feedback itself, the content or tone of the feedback, negative or positive -or the person posting it- Did not- do not care either way. There was a point I simply didn’t or couldn’t deal with the attention anymore because it was forcing me to face something else I’ve been avoiding for years. I may never get over that problem, but I really believe opinions are like a-holes- shrug, _everyone_ is _entitled_ to their own opinion even if someone else thinks it stinks. I’m not young, but we never stop learning, trying to adjust to things that make us uncomfortable or adapting to find ways to cope. It’s was also heartbreaking to see how some people reacted so negatively to stories when a lot of writers are younger and impressionable and may be using their stories as a way to find somewhere to fit in, feel accepted, asking for help or searching for a friend, or figuring out how to cope with problems they’re having. **

**You are entitled to your opinions. Your words have more influence than you think and you may have no idea why. If you aren’t learning or enjoying the story you’re reading, leave your opinions respectfully and – Just. Stop. Reading….**

**~Happy reading to the Gods~**


	4. For All It's Worth

**If you’re reading this crap- (its crap because I hate the subject matter.) I’m a shipper- Judy and Nick belong together, but the idea that neither of them had a life or past with others at their ages is a ridiculous notion. Most people who write about it leave it as a current explanation in the present of something that happened in the past that may relay some pain- but writing about it like this will leave a lasting impact of how it affected everyone involved and why they think the way they do when they meet. That’s sort of the point - Nick was not friendly with Judy when they met- there’s a reason for it and her fear of foxes- while she tries to fight this, Nick uses what he sees to fuel it and push her away. There’s a huge reason he thinks the way he does that revolve around several things that happened when he was younger. Judy has a problem with foxes too and has valid reasons to, but he also has a problem with her in particular because she’s at least trying to change it or he believes she’s being patronizing and says as much at the ice cream parlor (mocking her) long before pointing out the fox mace she carries at the press conference. He insults her and her species on multiple occasions trying to get rid of her. No one wants to think of him as being speciest - But he is and so is she. But the way they act may not be as black and white as it seems. It’s usually all anyone sees when people behave that way because you just see the surface reaction of what caused the problems in the first place (Not always the issue because some people are just stupid, but not in this case)….**

**For All It’s Worth***

**Michael W. Smith; Hide Myself**

**Alter Bridge; My Champion**

Finnick watched Nick trying to look back at the hospital and jumped up in the seat looking out the back window. He curled one side of his lip as he watched the black and white hybrid step in front of the bunny bouncing around the bed and raised both brows as he exposed his teeth at their car. “That is one mean…whatever he is.”

The car turned the corner as Nick turned in the seat tipping a brow and ducking his head trying to look out the back window. “You still see him?”

Nicholas sighed as he looked in the mirror. “Finnick, seatbelt.” Finnick dipped his ears back and turned around before sitting back in his seat and fastening his belt.

“I did before we turned the corner. He was doing the same thing he did in the hall. Showing his teeth and staring at the car before he was staring at me. Why’d he act like that anyway. I thought bunnies were kinda timid.”

Nicholas puffed his cheeks out as Nick turned looking at him. “Well for one thing he’s not a bunny. I told you half breeds.… Shouldn’t call them that.. he mumbled before sighing. “Hybrids are very temperamental and stubborn. I think he may have been mated to that little bunny he kept trying to hide from you.”

“Mated!?” Nick asked with his jaw hanging open as Nicholas chuckled.

“Not like that. I mean paired with her. It’s one of the few things people do know about bunnies. They bond at pretty early ages. They can meet who they’re supposed to be with early in life and not know it until they’re a lot older.”

“Rabbits are weird.” Nick grumbled as he looked back out the window shaking his head. “I hope we don’t run into them again.”

Finnick chuckled as Nick looked back at him and raised a brow. “I don’t know, I think they were kinda cute. She had huge eyes, pretty color too.”

“Really?” Nick asked sarcastically.

Finnick smirked and shrugged. “Bouncy anyway.” Nick rolled his eyes as he turned back to the front.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The black and white buck stepped away from window still holding a curled lip as the little fox in the back seat dropped his middle finger and turned around in the seat as the car went out of sight. Bobbi tapped his arm and tilted his head out the window. “Looks like rain.”

“Nothing I’m not used to. No stranger to storms. Lots of them in the Burroughs.”

The cougar tilted his head back towards the little doe grinning. “I wasn’t saying something because of that. She’ll freak out if…”

The buck sighed as Bobbi snickered. “I know.” He turned groaning and shook his head watching her bouncing. “Tada! Get down before you make Ashly sick!”

Bobbi laughed as the little doe bit her lip and made a sour face at them. Ashly chuckled as she turned and jumped again. Bobbi shook his head next to the window as he watched the buck roll his eyes.

“Judy get down!” She giggled as the he grabbed her paw and tugged her off the bed.

“Look Ashly! We brought you donuts!” She chirped as she hopped next to the bed.

The cheetah in the bed giggled as he opened the box and pressed both paws to his cheeks squealing. “EEH! They have frosting and sprinkles!” he swooned, making his voice go to a far lower octave with the words -frosting and sprinkles.

Bobbi stepped closer with his crutches and leaned over the bed grinning. “So how long you gotta stay?”

Ashly looked back at him chewing on a donut and shrugged. “Mom said they didn’t know yet.”

“You eat a bunch of those stuck in bed and you’ll get fat Ashly.”

“I’m not worried. Cheetahs don’t get fat. What about you? How long do you have to stay?”

Bobbi turned looking at the stub where his tail once was and shrugged. “At least a week? They want to make sure it didn’t get to anything else. I hope they don’t have to cut off any more of it.”

Ashly winced as Bobbi turned and tried to sit on the bed. The young cat hissed as he grabbed his crutches and stood again. “It’s not so bad Bobbi. I think it’s kind of cute. Now you’re a real bob cat. You can keep me company while you’re here too.”

Bobbi looked back at Ashly with a slight blush in his ears as Judy squealed in a high-pitched giggle….

Outside the room down a short hall, several parents were having a quiet conversation as Stu kept poking his head out the door, watching the kits who’d been running back and forth between the rooms. Bonnie raised her ears from the cheetah she was curled around and Stu waved a paw at her, letting her know the kits were fine before she retuned her attention to the cat she was hugging around as the doctor across from her and her mate folded his ears back. On the other side of the room sat two bob cats curled around each other shaking their heads. “I can’t explain it. We don’t know why it affects some like it has the Catmull’s son, or why it affects others like it has your son. I know they were eating the same contaminated meats, but there’s no explanation as to why it attacks some this way and others like it has your son.”

“There has to be something you can do!” The cheetah cried as Bonnie leaned over and grabbed a tissue from the table. “It doesn’t make any sense! Bobbi only lost his tail and for some reason it’s settled in our sons spine – Their son will live, but ours won’t! There has to be a reason!”

The doctor sighed as he shook his head. “We don’t know that he won’t live. This is something new we don’t know a lot about and there could be a cure found any day as there are so many trying to find one. The only explanation I can give you that anyone has come up with is just a hypothesis. It’s possible it affects different predators in different ways, at different ages because of how their metabolism works and where the body uses what they have taken in, or may be relative to how much of it they ate. It’s the only explanation anyone has come up with.”

Stu stuck his head out the door again as he heard Judy squeal and looked back at Bonnie as she turned her ears that direction. He gave her a slight nod as he stepped out of the room and wandered down the hall until he was looking in at a young black and white buck rolling his eyes as he tried to keep her from jumping on the bed again. “Judy?”

“DADDY!” She squealed as the buck beside the window let go of her shirt and chuckled as she jumped past the bed and hopped onto his chest.

Stu scooped his arms around her and snickered. “You know you’re making an awful lot of noise down here, Bunny Doe.” She cupped her paws over her muzzle and pulled her lips into her mouth and Stu chuckled as she dropped her ears and looked up from his chest with a guilty face. “It’s ok, just try to be a little more quiet so you don’t wake nobody up, hu?” He stood there whispering with her as Bonnie stepped out with the Catmull’s and giggled, watching her bunting her head under his chin.

The cougar couple looked back into the room with their ears plastered to their heads as the cheetahs curled around each other, rocking back and forth after the doctor left the room. Doing anything she could to change the subject, Sheriff Catmull bit her lip and stepped away from her mate, watching Stu chuckling as Judy scrunched her nose up and giggled rubbing it against his. “She’s attached to her Daddy isn’t she?”

Bonnie turned her eyes as Stacy Catmull gave her an uncomfortable look. The older doe looked up at her and sighed. “She was and she is.”

Stacy shook her head as Bonnie let her ears fall. “Stu isn’t her father. His name was Duane and Bonnie is what everyone knows me as because it’s what Stu calls me. His Bonnie Bunny.” Stacy let her jaw fall as Bonnie looked back, smiling softly as she watched Judy nudging under Stu’s neck.

“Oh Bonnie, I’m so sorry. That’s why Vincent is…” Bonnie nodded as Stacy sighed. “How did you two meet?”

Bonnie chuckled as she looked down the hall. “Mom hired Stu to help Dad with the farm after the quarantine was over. Judy just, latched onto him. She spent all her time trying to reteach Judy how to walk and talk, because Vincent was the only other one of our kits who survived, but he was too damaged to help. Judy was such a happy little bunny before it hit. Like she is with Stu now. After losing her littermates and her father, getting sick, she just went away for a while. Mom said she noticed how Judy would always move her ears and eyes every time she heard his voice, trying to move so she could see him. By the time they had braces to help her start walking again she was vocal enough to throw a fit and flat out refused to try and walk again. Stu came in from one of the fields with Dad and was talking about the season harvest. Mom said her ears shot up and she let go of her and grabbed the table. Stu had talked to her a few times and been around for a while, but Judy screamed at him. You know that kind of scream a little kit will make when they get really excited. She actually caught it on video. Stu turned and blinked at her as Mom waved her paws around, and grabbed the camera. He dropped to one knee and held his paws open when she stomped her foot. ‘Come here you little tryer, he said.” Bonnie giggled as she wiped her eyes. “She took off, like she’d never been sick. Broke the braces when she ran across the room and jumped into his arms. Stu was bawling as she nudged under his chin purring. After that you couldn’t pry her away from him. So when Mom came to see me in the hospital, he came with them and it just sort of happened. He caught my name on the chart and thought my middle name was my first name. So he’s always called me his Bonnie Bunny.”

“You met and fell in love because of Judy?” She giggled as Bonnie smiled.

“So, what is your name?”

Bonnie looked back at her and shrugged. “Alina, but the only one who ever calls me that anymore is Mom when she’s upset. I think Bonnie fits better anyway.”

“I didn’t even think about that when I took the job as Sheriff. That’s why Judy’s so much older than her classmates? She’s several times bigger than the bunnies in her class.” Bonnie nodded as Stacy shook her head. “Is that why your mother is sick?”

Bonnie shook her head as Stacy tried to smile. “No. Mom’s in renal failure. Me and my parents were vaccinated before it hit.” When the cougar looked at her curling her lip Bonnie cringed. “I…. really don’t want to explain that. We were going on a business trip overseas and it was just a freak string of things that happened that are….”

Stacy gave her a nod as she glanced at her. “Violet?”

“Her kidneys are shutting down. With no family and all that’s left of it not being a match for her to get a new kidney, we just have to wait and see if a donor will come up.” Stacy bit her lip as Bonnie looked back at her and shrugged.

“So, what’s the deal with Chance? Is that why Judy is so…docile now? We hardly ever have to go looking for her anymore.” She asked and tilted her ears as Bonnie started walking down the hall laughing.

“Docile- oh that’s rich, he just knows where to find her when she takes off. Never lets her get too far from him.” Stacy stopped and started smiling as Bonnie looked back and bit her lip. “Yes, they’re bonded.”

“Oh honey you have got to tell me how that happened! Judy wouldn’t let anyone near her except Stu and Violet when we came to town. And Chance withdrew so much when Sissy died we didn’t think he was going to make it.”

Bonnie giggled. “His mother was strange. I don’t know many hares or rabbits who will have kits together, and hares don’t usually settle down. It almost…goes against their religion to marry or something. Its why a lot of rabbits won’t mess with them. Most of them act like they – well let’s just say it’s rare for them to form a true bond with someone else because they want to spread the love. I think Chance should probably tell you. He sort of has it stuck in his head. Mom told him about the whole thing because I really, really, freaked out.”

“Nothing freaks you out.” Stacy giggled as she looked back at her mate. The male cougar was just staring as he shook his head back and forth. “So what was it that caused them to bond?”

Bonnie dipped her ears and turned away from the room they’d almost reached as Stacy and her mate perked their ears. The older doe almost whispered as she cupped her paws around her muzzle to hide her mouth. “Gideon Grey.”

“OOH.” Stacy said as she ticked her eyes to Stu.

Bonnie waved a paw and kept her voice low. “Stu knows Gideon picks on her, but we’re trying to keep in mind that he’s just a kit, and Judy really likes the little Linebaugh girl, Grace. She seems to like being around predators more than bunnies.” Stacy cringed as Bonnie bit her lip. “They don’t pick on her as much as the bunnies do.”

“Judy’s twelve now…How far are her and Chance apart?”

Bonnie ticked her eyes around and shook her head. “I’m not really sure. We had some problems getting records for his birth because he wasn’t born in this country. Its why him and Judy went into the same grade at the same time. He didn’t speak a lot of English when he got here. We know his father died in a plane crash a few years after he was born. He lost his sibling trying to get to this country, its why Sissy was sick.”

“She didn’t get sick after her mate died?” Stacy asked uncomfortably as Bonnie sighed.

“I don’t know, but hares don’t bond like bunnies do. At least I don’t think they do. They’re completely different from us. We had to prove who his father was to keep him and show he was related to us somehow. We almost lost him. It was a mess too.”

“Well, how did they bond then?”

Bonnie shrugged as she looked back and smiled. “He is half bunny.”

The cougars nodded as Bonnie turned and took a few more steps to the door. “Stu?”

Stu turned beaming as Judy giggled again. She tipped her head to the hall and he sat Judy down chuckling. “Go and see your friends so I can talk to Mommy.”

Judy curled her nose and he laughed as she almost knocked over the black and white furred buck who was rolling his eyes as she started talking to all of them about being a cop again.

Stu stepped out with Bonnie and flipped his ears up as she sighed. “We’re going to be here for a while. The doctor is coming back to explain their options for Ashly and wanted to get some pamphlets on the experimental things they’re trying. I told his parents we’d stay until they decided what they wanted to do.” She watched an orderly coming down the hall with a cart he was pulling trays off of and taking into rooms and looked at her watch sighing. “The kits need to eat something Stu, it’s still early enough for breakfast in the cafeteria.” Stu looked down the hall and back to the room the Cheetahs were in, and groaned.

“We can take them.” Stacy chirped in as her mate chuckled behind her. She looked back at him narrowing her eyes as he cupped a paw over his mouth. “You’re the top defense attorney in Bunny Burrough and I’m the sheriff. No one is going to say a word about us being with two bunnies in these clothes even if we are in Zootopia David.”

He shrugged as he stuck a paw in his pants and chuckled. “I was more worried about how you were going to keep those two under control, when their mother can barely do it.”

Stacy rolled her eyes as her mate snickered and stuck her head in the room. “Hey Judy and Chance? You want to go get some breakfast with us in the cafeteria? They’re bringing Bobbi and Ashley’s food right now so they can eat too. I can get you both some carrots!”

Bonnie cupped a paw over her mouth as Judy looked at her and made a sour face. Chance laughed as he grabbed her paw and pulled her out of the room. “Come on Tada. I know you’re hungry.”

The doe frowned as she walked by Stacy and the cougar looked back at Bonnie. Bonnie just shook her head and Stacy shrugged as she stepped in front of the kits holding out a paw. Chance raised a brow and gave her an intense glare as David chuckled. They were so much smaller that her species she often forgot about the size differences in terms of their ages. Chance grabbed Judy’s paw and she rolled her eyes as she started leading them to the cafeteria. After letting them walk through the line and getting a tray the cougars were chuckling watching the buck struggling to help her into chair that was too big. Stacy stepped closer trying to help and he looked at her curling his lip before he shook his head. She held her paws up and took a seat across from them after the little buck jumped into the chair beside her. “Tada, stop squirming so much or you’re going to fall again.” Judy looked at him and stuck her tongue out as he handed her a fork.

Stacy looked at David and he chuckled silently as he picked up his fork. “Why do you call her Ta-da?”

Chance looked at him and tilted his ears, jerking his eyes back to Judy as she giggled and bounced in her chair. Neither of them were tall enough not to be standing in them to reach their food. “Tell em! Tell em!”

The young buck curled one side of his lip up in an evil little smirk and narrowed his eyes on her as she bounced again. “Stay still and eat, then I might.”

Sherriff Catmull and her mate both blinked as Judy went still in the seat. She stuffed several pieces of lettuce in her mouth and looked back at the young buck with expectant eyes as he started laughing. “It was the day Gideon clawed her face.”

“Clawed her face!?” Stacy asked as she shot her eyes back to Judy and watched the little doe comb her the fur on her cheek up the wrong way, cringing at the streaks hidden under her fur.

“I LIKE EM!” Judy almost shouted as Chance grabbed her paw and narrowed his eyes. Pointing at her knees after she started bouncing, and then pointing back to the food. The little doe almost pouted as she picked up her fork and started eating again and Chance chuckled. “It’s the only reason we're us!” She shot and bit her lip as the young buck motioned back to her food. She stuck her tongue out at him and started eating again as he grabbed his fork and stuck a carrot in his mouth. Stacy and David leaned forward, not touching their food. Judy stalled, looking at both of them funny before she pointed to their plates. “You gotta eat too!” They gave each other an uncomfortable glance as Judy set her ears.

Chance sighed as he picked up another carrot. “If you’re afraid to eat in front of her I can’t tell you anything. She’s not afraid of your teeth or claws and neither am I.”

As both cougars picked up their forks and started eating, Judy looked back at Chance and let off an excited squeal before he laughed and pointed to her food again. Both of them froze as thunder rolled outside and Judy’s eyes was ticking as Chance grabbed the end of the table and turned his chair towards her as her nose twitched. Both cougars raised a brow as the young buck dropped his head and braced his feet and arms against the table and chair. As soon as the lightning flashed Judy bolted into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her as she buried her face in his neck squeaking. Chance curled around her as Stacy and David glanced at her and shook their heads. “Is she afraid of thunder? I’ve seen her out in the rain a million times and I’ve never seen her do that.”

Chance nudged at her cheek and she cracked an eye open as he pointed back to her chair. “Not Thunder. Lightning.” The cougars glanced at each other as she hopped back to her seat. “Want me to tell them what happened?” Judy looked back at him biting her lip as he pointed to her food and she dove in head first with both predators tilting their ears as the young buck chuckled and started eating again. “Judy came home and met Grandmother Violet in the kitchen….”

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"Judy! Oh Heavens what happened to your face!” Violet asked as she rushed around the table. The young doe shrugged as her grandmother fussed over her cheek, grabbing a rag she was cleaning it off with as the little bunny rolled her eyes.

"I got a big mouth and don’t know when to quit?" she asked and the older doe gave her an incredulous glare as she shrugged.

"These look like…. Did a fox do that?" the young doe shook her head as she got up and headed for the door.

“No, a jerk did that.” Judy groaned as she rolled her eyes again.

Violet set her ears as one of her siblings rushed into the room. "The imaginary fox has real claws!" Violet thumped her foot on the floor as Judy looked at her sister with a flat face.

"There is no imaginary fox, Frosty." The little bunny turned to her grandmother blinking as Violet tipped her head.

The older doe sat in the chair and watched as Judy walked out the door, tipping her head to the other young doe as she climbed into a chair. "How many times have I told you not to tease her about her imaginary friend?"

The little doe looked up at her from a hung head and shrugged. "It's not my fault she's so weird. What bunny has an imaginary friend anyway? And one that’s a fox too?"

Violet sighed as she shook her head. "There’s nothing wrong with foxes or imaginary friends Frosty. It's no different than you wanting your ears to look like your sister’s. Everybody is different. At least she’s finally grown out of it."

The little doe in the seat gave her a dirty look as she jumped from the chair. "Yeah, only cause Gideon clawed her and now she knows better. It was stupid she was calling an imaginary fox forest fire too." She stood up scowling and shook her head as she left the kitchen mumbling. “I don’t want to look anything like that freak, that’s why they’re white.”

Violet cringed as she shook her head and stood away from the table before picking up the phone. "Hello? Mrs. Grey? I think we need to talk…."

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

A black furred buck sat staring out the window and curled his lip as the door creaked open behind him. "Go away. I hate you and you know I hate you." He rolled his eyes as a pair of purple eyes popped over the side of the desk.

"I don't hate you. Why do you hate me?" she asked as his lip curled up at her.

"Because you don't listen! You won't leave me alone when everybody else knows to leave me alone!"

The doe stood straighter as her head tilted to one side. "Why do you want to be alone? It’s not normal for a bunny to want to be alone."

"Like you have room to talk. I know what I am! I am alone! My whole family is dead so just go away!"

The little doe twiddled her fingers as she stepped closer biting her lip. "But this is your family too, I’m your family. We don't have to be alone all the time."

He narrowed his eyes on her as his lips pulled over her teeth. "Then why don’t you go bother someone else? Why is it always me and only me! I know what you are - freak. You’re just like me, you don't belong anywhere either. Look at you. You’re too tall, you never sleep, you can't get along with the other bunnies and - just need to go away!" Judy scowled as he narrowed his eyes on her. "Look at that, you don't even have enough sense to stay away from someone who can hurt you."

She raised her head as she glared at him. "It didn't hurt."

"Yeah, and that just makes you even more a freak than you already are." The doe frowned as her fists clenched. The buck in the chair turned and curled his lip as her whole body tensed. “Feeling froggy? Go ahead. Jump! I _dare_ you."

Judy narrowed her eyes as her teeth pulled over her lips…..

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Violet hung the phone up and her ears shot ramrod as Bonnie let loose a screech that had her rushing up the stairs. "Oh what now?" she asked as she rushed past several little bunnies who were all gawking at a doorway. "What is going on in here!"

The older doe froze as Bonnie rushed past her and looked back at the younger buck who was glaring with his face set in stone. The blood from his lip still trickled down his chin as she looked back at Bonnie rushing into the closest bathroom. "Come with me." She grabbed the young buck by the arm, pulling him into another adjacent room as she ran a rag under some water, blinking after she’d wiped his mouth off. She shook her head in confusion as he stood there, still defiantly glaring at her. "You aren't hurt, where did the blood come from?"

Her eyes shot open as he growled. "She wouldn't leave me alone! We were fighting! I was winning and…"

"YOU STARTED IT!" Judy yelled as she stepped into the room.

"I just wanted her to leave! She’s always following me around and won't leave me alone! She bit me!"

"You shouldn't have shoved me and tried to sit on me!"

"She bit me! So I bit her back!" Violet looked him over and gasped as she pulled his ears forward. Blinking as Bonnie rushed back into the room sobbing.

"What do I do? What do I do? They tagged each other!" Violet covered her eyes as Judy stayed at Bonnie's side. The young buck glared at her as she stared him down.

"For the love of all creation…." Violet muttered as the young buck in front of her pulled his ears back behind his head. "Chance, go clean your ears. Did you take care of Judy's ear already?" Bonnie nodded as Violet looked at both young rabbits and sighed. "Take her to her room and come back here. Don't say anything to anyone, Bonnie. They aren't old enough to understand this." Bonnie sniffled as her mother handed her a tissue. She led Judy back to her room as Chance cleaned his bloody ear in the bathroom. The young buck caught several of the younger bunnies rushing off and stuck his head out the door, sneaking back to the room that Bonnie and Violet were now sitting in together.

The younger of the two does were pacing the floor as Chance snuck to the door. His ears rose as he overheard the conversation and he slipped back into his room quietly before sitting at his desk again. He scratched his head as he looked at his ear and back out the window again. He knew he couldn't leave the room with Mother Bonnie being able to hear as well as she could if they weren’t talking anymore, so he opened the window and jumped to the closest branch, before climbing down the tree and going around the house to another window. He looked around calculating the distance and cringed as he crawled into another tree, nearly falling as he jumped. His claws barely caught the window ledge he was reaching for. The buck dangled, grunting and fighting the tears in his eyes as his claws slipped from the slick paint covering the outside of the house and his eyes lifted as the window opened. Judy looked down at him and grabbed his wrist as his claws finally gave way. He hung there in shock as she glared at him. "I should drop you."

The buck looked down and his lips trembled as he looked back at her. Judy's face dropped as she grabbed his other paw and pulled him into the room. They both fell backwards, panting as their weight threw them to the floor. Judy looked up at him huffing as she scooted away. "I'll leave you alone Jance. You don't have to tell me again."

The buck frowned as his eyes fell to the floor. "I… My name isn't Jance. Why do you keep calling me that?"

"I know." Judy said as she dropped her ears behind her head and looked away from him. "It's Chance. I remember the night you came here. I guess I just have it stuck in my head? Because it's what I’ve called you since then?"

The young buck shied his eyes from her as he pulled his ears in front of himself. "You know my real name?”

Judy shrugged as she scooted back again. “Momma said you deserved a second chance.”

“Do you know what this means?" he asked as she looked at his ear and shook her head. "I heard Mother Bonnie and Grandmother Violet talking about it. It means that we’re bound to each other from now on." Judy curled her lip as she shook her head and leaned away as he leaned closer. "It means that no one else can ever have me but you, and no one else can ever have you, except me."

She curled her lip as he blinked a few times. "Gross." She was giggling as she fell back and sat up as she heard him sniffle. "Jance?" he shook his head as he stood again and walked to the door, not caring if anyone saw him leaving her room. "Wait!" He turned back to her fighting tears as she shook her head. "I'm sorry."

He shrugged as he grabbed the handle. "The bunnies don't want me and neither do the hares. I'm a freak. It's O.K, nobody will ever wanted me anyway. I just thought maybe you…never mind."

She grabbed his paw as he turned again and he looked back blinking as she wrapped around him. "They all think I’m a freak too. I heard Momma the night you came. She wanted you to have a chance. Nobunny gets married until they’re in their late twenties or thirties. I don't have anybunny either. So …maybe we can have each other?"

“You just said that was gross. You don’t want me so don’t lie.”

She leaned closer and his eyes widened as she dipped her head and bit her lip. “Maybe I can change your mind and make you feel better.”

The buck let his head hang and sighed as he closed his eyes. “That will never happen.”

Judy chewed her lip for a second before she grabbed him. His eyes flew open as she nudged her chin under his and she giggled as he let off a purr and wrapped around her. “Tada!” she sang as she looked up at him, watching the stunned expression turn to a slow smile. “Feel better?”

“Yes.” He closed his eyes and let his head down into her shoulder as she did the same. He looked at her nervously as she tilted her head to one side. "Can I... stay here with you? Ms. Ta-da?" Judy smiled as she scrunched her nose and nodded.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonnie sat in the kitchen wringing her paws as Violet explained everything to Stu. The color drained from his face as he flopped into a chair and shook his head. "Well we ain't gotta tell nobunny."

Violet sighed as she shook her head. “We don't need to, it's big enough that everyone will see it on both of them. They got each other good."

Stu rubbed his eyes and leaned over on the table. "Good grief. I guess I'll have to talk to him tomorrow. Bonnie, you can explain it to Judy."

"Oh no." Bonnie shook her head as she stood and stuck her paws on her hips. "You are having that talk with her. I will talk to Chance."

Stu's eye twitched as his whiskers vibrated. "B-But, she’s a girl!"

Bonnie nodded as Violet covered her mouth. "Yes, your girl. You talk to her about that! I'm going to check on all the kits before we go to bed."

Violet looked at Stu giggling silently as his ears fell. "Dag nab it!" The buck stood from the table as Violet followed him from the kitchen.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonnie rushed back down the stairs in a panic. Stu caught her as she nearly fell. "Chance is missing! He's been talking about running away for a long time!"

Stu looked back at Violet and she shook her head. "Nobunny panic. Let's look around first. He was angry earlier and may have just gone off to blow off some steam. Let's look around first. I'll go let Judy know I'll be busy for a little bit tonight and tell her to stay in her room."

The older doe watched as the two rabbits both left in different directions and headed up the stairs to Judy's room. She stopped outside the door and perked a brow as two voices caught her ears.

"So, what is it?" She heard Chance ask and carefully turned the knob, hoping they wouldn't notice the sound. The older doe smiled as Chance laid with Judy on the floor, pointing out the glowing paint she had plastered on her walls.

Judy tipped her head to him giggling as she pointed. "It's math silly. Bunnies are really good at multiplying."

Chance leaned up on one elbow and shook his head. "You know you really shouldn't say that to anyone."

She tipped her head curiously as he kept looking at her. "Why?"

"Never mind."

Violet set her ears back and snuck back to the stairs when she heard footsteps. She stuck her finger to her lips as Bonnie and Stu nodded, following her on tip toes to Judy's door. Both rabbits stood with unblinking eyes as they listened to the two of them talking about the formula she had scrawled all over her walls in glow in the dark paint. Violet pulled them out of earshot and cupped her paws in front of herself, giggling silently as Bonnie lowered her brows and frowned. "Mom, we have to get him out of there!"

Violet shook her head. "No. This is exactly what they both need. You try to separate those two and it’ll cause even more problems, Bonnie."

Bonnie hung her head as she looked at Stu. The buck nodded and smiled as he wrapped an arm around her. "I'll talk to both of them tomorrow, Bon. I think she's right. You know how Judy is, and he's had just as many problems. Give it a chance?"

Bonnie scoffed through a snicker and nodded as he rubbed his nose against hers. "At least let me look in on them again before we go to bed?"

Violet giggled as she shrugged. "You know she won't stay in there for long. He’ll fall asleep soon enough." Bonnie nodded, but slipped past her mother anyway, peeking into the room. Violet and Stu glanced at each other as Bonnie’s mouth hung slightly. They stepped behind her peeking in, the older doe smiling as her eyes lit up and Stu choked on the tears he was trying not to sob through. Judy had curled up with the buck and fallen asleep on his shoulder, while Chance had curled around her in a tight ball. "She finally bonded with someone her own age."

Violet looked at Stu as he wiped a tear away and Bonnie sighed. "Goodnight Mom." She whispered as Stu grabbed her paw leading her back to their room.

Violet looked in and closed the door, leaving a crack as she watched the young buck tighten his grip around the little doe. Judy squeaked and started purring as Violet bit her lip. "Let's see if this is as strong as what you had with your forest fire…

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stacy and her mate bit their cheeks as Judy giggled and watched Chance fold his arms over his chest almost triumphantly. “She fell asleep on my shoulder. I was mad when I woke up because she was gone. Grandmother Violet told me about everything else. That she didn’t sleep very much so she stayed up with her at night while Pop and Mother Bonnie watched her during the day. Pop asked me to keep an eye on her, so I do.”

“Well,” Stacy chuckled as Chance and Judy looked at each other scrunching their noses and sticking their tongues out at each other. “I guess that’s a pretty good way make a bond.”

Chance lifted his ears and turned with a curled brow as Bonnie and Stu came into the cafeteria. Both older rabbits let their ears fall and tried to smile as Stacy and her mate looked between them. “They’re going to stay until Ashly is released.”

Stacy nodded as she stood in front of the table and grabbed the trays, leaving them on top of a station on a trash can. “I’ve got to get back to the Burroughs and look into where the contaminated meats came from.”

“They were eating at the Bugga Burger place in town.” Judy said as she curled her brow. “Daddy, are they sick cause of the food they ate?”

“That’s what they think Bunny doe.” Stu curled his shoulders as Stacy cringed.

“Go on home Stacy. I’ll stay with Bobbi tonight.” David pressed his cheek into his mates neck and purred before he motioned to the exit.

Bonnie shook her head as Stu watched Judy chewing her claws. “We’re going to take the train. It’s faster than riding in the cruiser with you and Judy likes looking at the different districts.” This perked the little does ears as Stacy smiled and nodded.

After saying their goodbyes and making their way to the right train, Bonnie watched Judy and Chance as he was pointing out different things through a large domed window. “What do predators eat most of the time?” Judy asked and Chance looked back at her sighing.

“Bugs.”

“That’s not what they were eating. Bobbi was eating chicken and Ashly was eating fish.”

Chance looked back at her and dropped his brow. “They were eating different things?”

“Yeah, but Bobbi gave most of his food to Ashly cause he was still hungry.”

“It doesn’t matter Tada. If the chicken or fish eat bad bugs it gets in them. If a predator eats something that ate the bad bugs it makes them sick too.”

“Oh.” Judy sighed as she looked back out the window. “Daddy?” Stu looked away from Bonnie and lifted a brow as Judy chewed her lip. “Can we go to the pond when we get back? We were all supposed to meet there later and I should tell Sharla and Danny why Bobbi and Ashley aren’t there.”

Bonnie chewed her lip as Stu looked back at her and shrugged. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure your brothers and sisters will be there too. Grandpa usually lets them go after the fields are done.” Judy turned sticking her tongue out as Chance snickered. After arriving in the Burroughs Stu started the truck they’d left at the train station to a pond not far from their farm, watching Chance and Judy jet from the truck as Bonnie shook her head and giggled. “Chance?”

The young buck turned as Judy kept trying to drag him towards the water. “Yeah Pop?”

“Keep an eye on her alright, and check on everyone else for me? Remind Frosty to keep an ear up.” Chance nodded and waved as Stu pulled away from the grassy spot, watching them running towards a couple of sheep at the edge of the water before he pulled away.

Judy landed on her knees as a white wooled sheep looked at her and turned his eyes and Sharla shook her head. Chance stood looking around and tapped her shoulder. “I’ll be right back Tada, I gotta go tell Frosty to keep an eye on everyone and check on them for Pop.”

Judy giggled as he shot through some long reeds that separated two docks that led into the water. She started chasing a frog as Sharla leaned towards her brother. “We shouldn’t be anywhere around her Danny.”

Danny looked back at her frowning as he dropped his eyes. “That’s mean Sharla.”

The little black wooled ewe scoffed as Judy hopped into a bush looking around. “It’s true though.”

“Well looky what I found here.” Both sheep looked up wide eyed as a large red fox towered over them.

“See what I mean…” Sharla asked as Danny curled his shoulders up.

\-----------------------------------------------

Chance hopped through the reeds and spotted Judy’s oldest sister sitting on the docks with a bunch of other bunnies. “Frosty, can you see everybody that came? Pop asked me to check and remind you to keep your eyes open.”

The doe looked back at him scowling. “Yeah they’re here and fine.”

“Tada is on the other side with Sharla and Danny. I gotta pee so keep an ear up.”

“Sure,” she shook her head as he vanished behind some brush. “Great the weirdos are here.” The bunnies around her laughed as they all started retelling things that weren’t normal for a bunny to do, not paying any attention to what they were supposed to be listening for….

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"CUT IT OUT GIDEON!" Judy screamed as she grit her teeth defiantly. The fox shoved her again, laughing.

Travis kept his paws up snickering, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he bobbed his head. "Look at that nose! It still twitches when she's scared!"

"I am not scared of you and I never was." Judy stood again, frowning at him and locked her frame as he shoved her again.

"Stupid dumb carrot farming bunny! Ya don't know when to quit! I may not be able to use my claws on ya again but that don't mean I can't still hurt ya."

The little crowd around them ticked their eyes between the bunny and fox as Gideon rolled up his sleeve and snarled as he clenched his fist. The ram next to Sharla shot in front of him as he stuck his paws in the air. "Wait h- here. You can have it!"

He reached into his pocket pulling out several dollars the fox snatched from him and shoved him out of the way as Judy balled her fists.

"Gideon you jerk! Why do you always have to take things from the ones who are smaller than you!" She yelled as the young ram shook his head.

"Judy, just let him have it ok? It's only a couple of dollars!"

The doe looked at him frowning and shook her head. "No Danny! It's not his! Give it back Gideon!" she growled as he laughed.

"I keep takin it from him cause of you. I know you stole the tickets I had and you ain’t caused me nothin but problems since I got here!"

"You took them from my friends first!" Judy screamed as he stuffed the bills in his pocket, nodding.

"Ya know I think it's kinda funny, none of them will talk to you anymore except him. Ya know why don't ya, dumb bunny?"

“I am not a dumb bunny.” Judy ground her teeth as the young ram tipped his ears back and folded his paws over his chest.

"P-please Gideon. I'll give you whatever you want. Whenever I have it, I'll give it to you." Danny almost stuttered as Judy curled her lips between them.

"I don't care and you aren't giving this jerk money every time you have it when it's not his Danny!"

Gideon chuckled as he stood straighter. "Ok. I won't take it from him then, since ya seem to think that's how it ought to be. The reason he’s the only one that still talks to ya…is because he liiiiikes you. Like really likes you. He thinks you’re _awesome,_ Judy." He curled his paws together next to his cheek as he blinked with faux lashes. "Hahahaha! Oh, I think I like this better than takin his money anyway! It's priceless! Look at that stupid look on that stupid sheep’s face. You’re his idea of _ewetopia_! Hahahaha!"

Judy blinked as she turned her head to the young ram who let his head fall as he looked away, a deep blush running through his ears as his sister turned her head. "Danny?" she asked as the ram took a step back. "Sharla?" The purple eyed rabbit squared her shoulders as she stuck her finger in Gideon's face. "You jerk! You need to have someone your size knock you around and learn what it feels like to have someone pick on you when…."

"Hahaha!" Gideon laughed before he leaned lower growling. "Who would that be? You? What you gonna do little bunny?" He flicked her nose, laughing as she cupped her paws over her muzzle with her eyes watering. The fox stumbled back as her feet planted into his jaw. "That's twice you've kicked me in the face and bloodied my lip, bunny. If you think I'm gonna let you get away with it, I think you need to be moved to a different kinda farm." He snatched her by the neck as her eyes grew wider.

Judy kicked her feet again, clipping his nose as he squeezed tighter and the young ram grabbed his arm as Sharla shook her head. "Danny we need to go home!"

"Yeah run home little sheep, before the big bad fox eats you up for dinner!" Gideon spat and Travis hissed as he nodded rapidly.

The ewe pulled him again and he stumbled into his sister as Judy clawed at Gideon's arms. "We can't leave Judy here with them, Sharla!"

"Then we’ll get help, we aren't big enough to do anything anyway." The little ram scrunched his face as Judy looked back at him and sighed.

"Go home, Danny. I can handle him. He's too stupid to know when he's already beat anyway."

Gideon slammed her feet to the ground and Judy cringed as her ankles ached. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

The doe looked at him flat faced as she sighed. "It means you have _one chance_ to walk away before things get ugly and you get in trouble and fall _off the docks_ …again!"

“I ain’t never fell off the docks.” Danny lifted his brows as Judy glanced at him and Gideon laughed as the ram took off the other direction. "Aww, guess he's more chicken than ram isn't he…speakin of docks, let’s see how ya like the new one."

Judy cringed as Gideon kept his paw around her throat, guiding her back towards the water. "Let go!" she growled as he stopped and looked over the water.

"Oh I'm gonna let go all right." Travis snickered from behind Gideon as Sharla looked back to where her brother had run off to.

"Hurry Danny." She muttered as she watched the fox shove Judy to the ground. Judy stood up scowling as she lifted her head, scowling at him.

"You still don't know when to quit, do ya bunny?" the doe dropped her brow angrily as she stood glaring at him. "Let me teach ya how that works…"

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Danny rushed around the pond and tried to catch his breath as he stopped at a young group of mammals trying to talk. "H-HELP!" he nearly gasped as he leaned into his knees. They all looked at him tipping their brows as he shook his head.

"What is it Danny?" A young buck asked as he sloshed his toes back and forth in the water over the dock he was sitting on.

"D.J.! Judy…in...trouble…" They all rolled their eyes as they looked off, and several of them shrugged.

"When is she not in trouble? Right D.J?" A young doe asked as she took a seat next to the buck and threw her arms over his shoulders, giggling. "I'm sure she’ll get out of it like she always does."

Danny huffed as he stood up and clenched his teeth. "IT'S GIDEON!"

“WHAT?” All their heads whipped the other direction as a black and white furred, long eared buck jolted from the tree line. "What about Gideon?" He asked as they all looked off in another direction.

Danny huffed. "Chance! Gideon has Judy!"

The buck scowled as the doe closest to the water rolled her eyes. "Frosty, keep an eye on everyone." He took off running as the ram struggled to keep pace. His long legs bound him over bushes and around unedged corners as he moved on all fours. The buck shot to the other side of the pond and Danny huffed until they reached a point where he could see Chance scream after getting through the reeds. "NO!" Danny shook his head as he watched Gideon hit Judy in the gut after she’d said something to him. She doubled over as her eyes nearly popped out with her mouth hung open as she curled her arms around her chest. When Gideon heard the buck scream he turned laughing, his tail flipping up and knocking her over. She fell into the water with a splash as the fox stepped closer to the end of the dock.

Chance rushed the fox and stepped in front of him. The buck fell back as Gideon shoved a paw into his chest. "Get out of the way Gideon!"

Gideon laughed as Sharla stayed frozen, with her eyes locked on the water. Little ripples swarmed out from where Judy had fallen and began to die as Danny reached her side bawling. Travis shook his head and stepped back as Gideon laughed again. "Gideon! She ain't comin up!" The smaller predator said nervously as he looked behind the fox. 

“Shut up Travis.” Gideon looked behind himself and shrugged as Chance pulled himself from the ground. "I guess she won't annoy me anymore then will she?" The fox tipped a brow grinning as the buck in front of him tried to shove him out of the way. "What do ya think you're doin? You ain't big enough to get past me!" The blue eyes the buck trained on him as his brows dropped had Gideon grinning until his knee shot into his growing and he dropped like a rock. Travis stood in shock as the buck slammed his elbow into the larger fox's neck and jumped over him before diving into the water. The fox was whining as he fell over clutching himself. Travis stepped back as Chance popped up in the water, his arm wrapped around the neck of a doe who had turned blue under the surface. He stepped back shaking his head as Sharla started sobbing and Danny sucked in several deep breaths as Chance barely managed to get her out of the lake.

"GO GET HELP!" Chance screamed as he rolled her over to her back. "Tada?" he shook her as his eyes spilled over. "Tada? Judy? Please…wake up…." he grabbed her cheeks shaking his head as he pressed his lips to hers, blowing air into her cheeks. His lip curled under and he sobbed several times, pulling away as her head fell to the side. Gideon cracked an eye open, blinking as Travis backed away and took off running.

Danny rushed to the little doe as Sharla fell apart. He tipped her head back and pinched her nose as he puffed air into her chest, while Chance sat sobbing on his knees beside them clutching his ears.

Sheep weren’t known to be strong in water as it often weighed down their wool and prevented them from swimming, so they were known to teach their young C.P.R at an early age for the same reason.

Travis returned with a squad car, followed by an ambulance and let his head fall as Judy was loaded into the bus. The ambulance E.M.T.S. had explained the sheep was the only reason she was still alive, but it didn't help as Bonnie and Stu helped Chance walk to the car. The young buck watched them dip Gideon’s and Travis’ heads into the back of a police cruiser as another deputy made sure all the other kits got home.

Bonnie and Stu drove to the hospital with Chance, but none of them had a lot of hope when she didn't wake up after twenty-four hours.

Doc Stevens went with the family after he had her moved to Zootopia so he could monitor her with better equipment and services should she wake and need some other kind of help he wasn’t able to provide in the smaller town. They sat outside the room with heavy hearts as the young buck stayed frozen, watching the machines pushing air in and out of her lungs.

“I can’t lose anyone else.” Bonnie fell apart as Stu kept trying to stifle his sobbing and pulled her into his arms. He buried his head in her neck as Chance kept his eyes trained on Judy.

The days seemed to drag by as the rabbits watched her have several episodes that left them all feeling like they’d drowned with her…….

**Notes; Hares in general have a little bit of a superiority complex due to the fact that they know they came from a God and think they’re better than others. Heimdall told the hare him and Loki met to give love freely after Loki fed him and he was rude simply because he was a fox - it was taken very poorly and out of context - resulting in the species not forming significant bonds with one mate and having a tendency to - spread the love.**

**Ashley, (Cheetah) Bobbi, (Cougar, his name was actually a reference to Bob cats) Sharla (Black wooled sheep) and Judy, all starred in the play that started the movie Zootopia.**

**No one seems to have addressed the issue of Judy’s friends after the play and Gideon’s first encounter. Sharla's brother is the same white sheep Gideon was picking on when he stole the tickets from her. The little ram appeared to be a little infatuated with Judy as he told her she was ‘Awesome’. He’s named after the ram in the Disney movie- So dear to my heart, Danny. The idea of him being ‘the black sheep’ comes from him being the only original friend Judy had in the group of prey mammals that still talks to her. They avoid her because her and Gideon don’t get along and Gideon has made a point of picking on her and others around her.**

**The bunny with Sharla and Danny after the play was half Judy’s size, which means if they were all in the same group (friends), Judy was either larger than the other bunnies in her class or older- or both because sheep are larger than bunnies. Judy is also the only bunny Stu and Bonnie are paying any attention to after the play, but seem indicate there are other of her siblings around, which means they were paying particular attention to her and someone else was keeping an eye on the others. (Probably Bonnie’s parent’s Violet and Pa Pa, or the community they brought together after they started selling all the land they owned from the ‘plaque’ that took most of the Hopps family and the citizens of Bunny Burrow.)**

**Lad of a Jack, or Jack the Lad is a saying that refers to a young male who is a little bit of a rogue and very self-assured. Judy calls him Jance because it’s a mash of the name Bonnie gave him and the name he came to the family with she heard the night he arrived at the Hopps farm. A select few know what his real name is. Judy was only about seven when he arrived, right before her and Nick met in Think Like A Fox. (Gosh I wonder what his real name is?)**

**Had to figure out how to put all this into single chapters and chapter eight I’m having a hard time finishing even though the others before it and nine are already finished. They’re about to miss colliding one more time. Judy Is already here, and it’s not pretty how they end up in the same place and miss each other again…**


	5. Indentured Servants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning Adult Content

**Indentured Servants***

**Ava Max; Kings And Queens**

Rose sighed as Finnick crawled into the back of the van, tipping her head before Nick crawled in with him and the Lunar boys. Mrs. Lunar stepped around the back of the van smiling. “Nick, are you coming this time?"

Nick shook his head. “Uhm, no. I didn’t get to go to the market and pick up the flowers for Mom the other day. I was wondering if you could take me and bring me back before you leave? I can give you a few dollars for gas?”

The doors slammed after Mel waved a paw dismissing the offer. Rose stepped back watching them pull away and walked back inside the house, slipping into the kitchen. She started boiling several things as a familiar scent that made the honey Nick used in his water and had been passed down in the Wilde family for generations settled her nerves. When her phone vibrated she jumped in her seat, smiling as she stood and headed to the front door. The vixen giggled as Ms. Ambrosh stood there biting her lip. “I thought I might come say hello and see how things were going?”

Rose narrowed her eyes in a sneaky smile as she motioned inside. They made their way to the kitchen and the vixen fixed her a cup of coffee before she took a seat and started scribbling on piece of paper. The pig snorted as she read the note. “I’m not sure you can help Nicky with this problem.”

Ms. Ambrosh shrugged as she sipped her coffee. “Maybe I can’t, but I’d still love to see what happens, especially after what those two did to the G.E.D testers. I wish you could have seen it or I had recorded it.”

Rose threw her head back laughing. “They wouldn’t let me look at it so it must have been pretty bad.”

“You mean two fox kits making complete asses out of a few college professors? Those boys had them so confused by the time we left I thought I was going to faint from trying not to laugh! Every time they would ask those two a question and the boys would answer it, they’d say it was the wrong answer and they’d prove them wrong! I thought I was going to die watching those professors looking up things trying to confirm facts. If I hadn’t gotten involved and told them just to give them the answers of what was commonly taught, I’m pretty sure they would have been there for a week trying to explain everything to those guys. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!”

Rose laughed, scribbling on some paper and pushed it forward as Ms. Ambrosh wiped her eyes. “How did they get the professors asking them questions anyway?”

“Oh good grief it was all over the flag and who made it. They asked who made the country’s flag and they both started rattling off facts about the stripes and stars and all the theories about who created it. The guy testing them was laughing, telling them it was Betsy Ross and Nick went into this big spiel about her son saying that she’d made it to popularize their name. Then he went into someone named William or something. He gave the guy dates and explanations and Finnick was throwing out -OMG I couldn’t keep up with it!”

Rose laughed and shook her head, scribbling on another note she handed the pig. “He isn’t having problems with the instructor not believing him. The exam is just a test that covered all the classes he took. He already passed that part, it’s the paper he has to write for a final grade that he’s having a hard time with.”

Ms. Ambrosh groaned. “Uh Hu, and the assignment isn’t an issue either.”

Rose let her eyes fall and shook her head. Ms. Ambrosh tilted her head as Rose scribbled a longer note. “The instructor set a different assignment for each student. He already handed in the section that was written on the other subjects. I don’t think Nicky got singled out, I’m pretty sure they all got a subject he knew made them uncomfortable to make it more difficult and force them to deal with something they avoided. It means he was paying attention to each student and is trying to help them face their own fears. It’s a good lesson, it’s not like we enjoy doing all the things we have to do or every situation is comfortable.”

Ms. Ambrosh huffed as she sipped her coffee again. “You can’t help him with it?”

Rose shook her head, and Ms. Ambrosh turned in her seat after hearing the front door. The pig lifted a brow as Skye walked into the kitchen and turned looking at Rose curiously. The albino vixen rushed her paws around and Skye giggled as the pig looked between them. “She says I’m going to help him with the assignment.”

“Oh?” Ms. Ambrosh asked a with a small smile as Skye scrunched her nose.

Skye took a seat and Rose giggled as the young vixen chewed her lip. “He really can’t stand the sight of blood and gory things make him sick. The assignment isn’t that big a deal for me. I’ve looked through all the materials he found. It’s the pictures he can’t handle when he tries to write about it. If I can get him to stop focusing on the gory stuff and stay focused on the technical issues of the paper I think he can finish it on time.”

“Are you his…?”

“Girlfriend? Yes.” Skye laughed as Ms. Ambrosh chuckled.

“He’s about to turn sixteen isn’t he? How long have you two been dating?”

Skye curled her nose as Rose stuck a paw in her palm smirking. “Four years. He’ll be sixteen tomorrow. I turned seventeen in June.”

“He’s dating an older vixen?”

Skye laughed as Rose rolled her eyes. Rose lifted a brow as Skye and Ms. Ambrosh turned to the kitchen door. Nick walked into the kitchen and sat a large bag of flowers on the table, turning his eyes from Skye as she sat up. Ms. Ambrosh hid her smile as the young vixen stepped around the table and grabbed his paw. She turned back to Rose watching Nick’s mother shaking her head as Skye dragged him from the kitchen, whining about not wanting to look at any more pictures.

She cringed as Rose lifted a brow. “Why is he so squeamish?”

Rose sighed and shrugged as she grabbed the flowers and started pulling the stems from the petals. Ms. Ambrosh nodded as she stood from the table, watching Rose looking at the ceiling with a worried tint. She grabbed her shoulder pulling her attention back to her and smiled. “You aren’t worried about them…you know? It is November.” Rose shook her head and dropped her eyes as Ms. Ambrosh smiled again. “Call me if he does need some kind of help? And let me know how he does on the paper?” Rose nodded and walked her to the door, waving before she closed it and looked back to the ceiling sighing again.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skye gave Nick an understanding look as she held a photo up, and cringed as he turned gagging. “Nick, it’s just a picture.”

“Hrk- yeah, full of dead bodies covered in- hrk- and then they…”

“Stop thinking about it like that. This was decades ago. Think about right now. It’s just a picture of something that happened a long time ago.”

“Yeah well that doesn’t change what happened a long time ago when I can still see…ughhhh” – he turned and found Skye holding it up again, gagging as he grabbed a trash can. “I can’t do this! I need some water.”

Skye let her shoulders drop as he jumped from the chair and rushed down the stairs. He stopped at the bottom landing as he heard his father’s voice and curled his lip as his ears flicked. _What’s dad doing home this early? Is that Mr. Big?_ He slipped off the stairs and crept to the kitchen door, training his ears as he heard the shrew talking in an urgent voice. “I know what I am asking of you. You gave me your word once, this is what I ask in return. This job is vital for the business to stay together, you already know why.”

Nick peeked around the corner and watched his mother turn off the stove. Her ears folded back as she looked at his father. Nicholas sighed as he closed his eyes and nodded. “What kind of situation are we looking into here? What is it we need to retrieve this time?”

Mr. Big bowed his head as he closed his eyes. “Most dire I am afraid. The life-threatening kind. Something priceless.”

“I’ll call Mr. Melgic and have him come stay with the boys. Rose?” he tipped his head to the basement door and she rushed down the stairs as Mr. Big hit a knee and folded both paws on top of it, bowing his head. “Please don’t do that Mr. Big. We owe you more than what you ask of us.” Mr. Big stood sighing as Nicholas picked through the numbers on his phone. “Mr. Melgic?.....”

Nick grit his teeth and curled his lip, shaking his head as he rushed back up the stairs as quietly as possible. He slipped into the room growling as Skye raised both brows, watching him pacing the floor and clenching his fists. “Nick?”

He snapped his attention to her with his nostrils flaring and tapped his teeth. “Mr. Melgic is coming to pick us up. Mom and Dad will be gone before he gets here - again.”

“You told me earlier you were alright with this after you talked to your mom. Why are you so upset now?” she asked as Nick’s shoulders locked.

“And Mom is doing it too! I didn’t know they were working for Mr. Big! As something besides just a driver!”

“I thought you liked him.”

“I do-That doesn’t mean I don’t know what he does or think it’s alright! This time? I mean… how many times have they done this for him? How many times have me and Finnick helped them do something we shouldn’t have been doing, not knowing what we were doing?!”

Nick’s ears shot up as he heard the front door slam and he growled as he rushed down the stairs, watching his mother and father crawl into the back of a limo after he swung the door open. One of Bigs bears closed the door and Nicholas lifted his head out the window and motioned for him to close the door. “Mr. Melgic will be her in half an hour. Stay inside until he gets here.”

Nick snarled before the window rolled up. He slammed the door growling as Skye cringed at the bottom of the stairs. “We still need to do your paper and have it turned in before five Nick. You told him you’d have it done today.”

“Screw the paper Skye!”

“Look at this.” She held the same picture up and Nick snarled at it before his eyes snapped back to her. She was standing there biting her tongue as he blinked a few times. Skye giggled as Nick stood there in shock. “Guess something can take your mind off the things that upset your stomach, but it wasn’t the approach I had planned on using.” Nick narrowed his eyes as Skye smirked and bit her lip. “I bet I could get our mind somewhere else too.”

“Skye.” Nick growled as she started circling him. “I am not in the mood for anymore crap today-

She stopped in her tracks and ticked her eyes to the wall, chewing her lip. “You’re already angry. Wanna fight for it? Get rid of some of that built up rage?”

Nick scowled as she almost bounced. “What is it I’ll get if I win?” She waved a paw to herself and bowed as he threw his head back laughing. “It sounds like you’ll be the one winning even if I do because you’ll still get what you want.”

“So, what is it you want?” Skye asked as she cocked her head to the side.

“Do whatever I say for a month.” Skye scrunched her nose up thinking as Nick chuckled. “You’re really considering that offer?”

Skye grabbed the two swords off the wall from their family crest and tossed one to Nick as she bowed slightly. Nick snickered as he rolled the hilt in his paws and nodded. He spread his legs apart in a fight stance as Skye took on a look of determination he swore might drop him where he stood. The young vixen jumped and Nick laughed as he shot over the couch, shaking a finger at her as she walked around his father’s chair. His ears set as he heard the familiar rumble of a large brown van down the street, but it was ignored as Skye jumped and caused him to roll over the couch and land on the floor, looking up at her with wide eyes as she poked him in the chest with the end of her blade, grinning as he gasped and tossed her sword off with his and rolled the other way.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finnick jumped from the van and told the Lunar’s goodbye before he walked home. He stopped at the gate and flipped his ears up as he heard several clanks of metal. Under the front window sat a large flower pot he climbed on to see in the house. One side of his lip curled up as he watched Nick and Skye sparring, growing into a bright smile as she pinned him to the wall and stole a deep kiss. He hopped down and opened the door quietly, listen to both young foxes rumbling. Finnick peeked past the couch as Nick shoved her away laughing. The vixen just smiled wider as she raised her sword again. “You haven’t won yet Skye.”

“You’re pretty good with that sword but I’m going to win so I can have you.”

“You wouldn’t have me until we’re old enough anyway.” She laughed as he bounced his brows. “I’m good with a sword because I lanced- a lot.”

Nick laughed as Skye lunged at him. “You think you’re pretty clever with words don’t you?” He shrugged, still grinning as she curled her lips. “I’ll come close enough to having you. I want your lance- a lot!” Skye smirked and Nick laughed as they both swung again.

His eyes flew open and he gasped as she dipped under his sword and ended up behind him with her paw crawling across his junk. His eye twitched as he dropped his sword in a quick maneuver that dipped his whole body in a spin and raised his sword looking up at her narrowing his eyes as she dropped her blade and connected with his again, blocking his ‘attack’. The arctic vixen shot him a sly grin as he looked at her heaving. “Are you afraid of your sword Nick? Maybe you should be afraid of this sword.” She twirled the end in a circle smirking as she raised it again, lifting one paw into the air behind her as her feet spread apart.

Nick laughed, trying not to take his eyes off her as the bubbly feeling in his guts threaten to have him rolling on the floor. He lifted his sword and tapped the end of hers, taking on a ridiculous pose and accent as he squared his shoulders. “I will never fear my father’s sword. I am Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die!” Skye fell several paces back as she tried to fend him off through an extreme case of the giggles.

Finnick was laughing silently as he watched them struggling for position and shook his head when they both wound up in a place that left the tips of their swords at each other’s throats.

“One-month Skye, and I’ll give you…something. Let me see how good you are without that sword. I don’t think you have the balls for it - actually I know you don’t.”

Skye curled her muzzle and bit her lip, grinning as they both dropped the swords in favor of grabbing each other instead. “How would you know? You’ve never even checked.”

One of Nick’s eyes twitched as she giggled and he scowled at her as he stepped away. “Eww, maybe I should rethink this deal if you have some.”

The young vixen jet forward and grabbed his paws, sticking them on her chest grinning. “They’re bigger than yours, just not as low.” Nick’s ears flushed as the soft flesh poked through his fingers.

Finnick almost lost it as he watched Nick growl and lock her against the front door. “Quit it!” He backed away watching Skye pull her shirt out of her skirt and shook his head. “Why do you have to be so damn pushy about it every time we’re alone?!”

“I know what I want.” She smirked as Nick’s ears pinned back.

“One-month Skye. That’s what I want.” When she tried to grab him again his ears went rigid as his lips pulled over his teeth and snapped at her.

“Why?” she asked with a suspicious look as Nick chewed his lip.

“Because Fox rules apply. I won’t have to keep telling you to keep your paws to yourself and the first time will be the last time I have to say something. I can maybe, get used to this if you agree to do what I tell you? If you can do that… I don’t think you can.”

“Two weeks.” She dipped her head and ears, shying her eyes before looking back at him as he narrowed his eyes.

“Anything I say?” he asked squinting further as she smiled.

“Is it a Deal?” she asked. Nick kept his eyes locked on her as she stepped closer and slowly brushed her lips against his. “A fox never lies….”

“Yeah but I’ve seen you do it before Skye.”

“I won’t. You have my word.” His eyes closed as her breath rushed over his lips. “Deal?” A small growl with a tip of his head in agreement was all it took before they were locked in kissing as they found the stairs. 

Finnick tipped his head watching them bouncing off one wall to the other as they climbed the steps. He sighed as they fell at the top of the stairs, watching their feet rolling over each other’s as they kept switching who was on the bottom or the top _._ The small fox shook his head as Nick barked at her several times in a vocal warning that had her ears tipping as he stood up, before she slowly followed him back into the hall and out of sight. _Why the fuck is he fightin her so much? It ain’t like he wants to win._ He picked up the swords and groused about not being tall enough to put them back in place as he dragged a stool from the kitchen back to the living room. Once they were back on the wall with the family crest he picked up a lamp that had been knocked over and made his way upstairs, cracking the door. Skye had Nick on the bottom bunk straddling his hips and Nick growled as she tried to pull his shirt off.

Finnick’s eyes grew as he lunged up and wrapped his jaws around her throat, grabbing her wrists and holding her paws away from his head. Skye froze as his tone of the vocalized warning set her fur on end. Her ears pinned back as he snarled again and she dropped her grip, turning her eyes as the young red fox’s growl lowered. Finnick turned looking at the stairs when he heard the front door open. He glanced back into the room watching Skye almost go limp when Nick let go of her arms, his paws slowly pulling her shirt over her shoulders as she whined. They slid down her arms and under the back of her shirt as he kept his jaw locked around her neck, watching her paws slowly fall to his shoulders. Finnick shook himself and rushed down the stairs to meet Mr. Melgic.

The old meerkat chuckled as he hopped off the landing. “Finnick? I wasn’t sure ya’d be back yet or even know I was comin.”

“Dad sent me a message.”

“Where’s your brother?”

“He’s upstairs studying. He has to turn in his final paper today.”

Mr. Melgic chuckled. “A college grad at sixteen. You’re graduating this year too ain’t ya?”

“Yeah, in May.”

“Less than six months, well grab your brother and let’s get up the road.”

“Uhm, Mr. Melgic? I think we should just leave him here to study and get his paper done.”

Mr. Melgic sighed as he looked up the stairs. “I suppose it won’t hurt nothing. I ain’t got no internet connection for him to work at my place. What’s he studying anyway?”

Finnick chuckled as he looked up the stairs. “I don’t know what he’s studying for the test, but he was studying the hell out of something when I came downstairs.”

“Well at least go up there and tell him he needs to stay here or come to my place when he gets done. I can’t get up and down stairs too easy anymore.”

Finnick sighed. “Yeah, I’ll be right back.” He climbed up the stairs chuckling as he half knocked on the door and let it swing open. His whole face fell watching Skye grip the bottom rails of the bunk bed with Nick’s face buried between her legs. Nick growled and Finnick almost laughed when he looked at him and narrowed his eyes as Skye kept rolling on his face. Finnick tipped over sideways trying to get a better view of Skye as Nick’s paws crawled up her bare back and let go, spelling out in sign. “GET OUT!”

Finnick bounced his brows as he lifted his paws. “Ya knew he was comin!”

“I don’t need a damn babysitter! Go away!” he ‘shouted’ in sign as Finnick smiled.

Finnick bobbed his head a few times and lifted his paws again. “Melgic’s place when you’re done or stay home. Don’t forget what your whiskers are for. Don’t lose your head Nick.”

“OUT!” Nick signed again, growling as he rolled his eyes and covered Skye’s ass with his arms.

Finnick closed the door and walked back down the stairs chuckling. Mr. Melgic perked his ears as he stepped off the landing. “Still studying?”

“Yep, I don’t think anyone could pry his head outta that book.”

Finnick laughed as Mr. Melgic opened the door. They both stepped outside and stopped as a whine caught their ears. “He got company helpin him?” Mr. Melgic narrowed his eyes as Finnick started laughing. Both their ears set as Skye started moaning. The small fox fell over rolling on the ground as Nick growled loud enough it caused Mr. Melgic to slam the door behind them. The old meerkat smirked as Finnick stood up wiping his eyes. “Come on, I ain’t got intentions of lookin into that. Your parents can deal with it.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skye fell over Nick’s head huffing as he chuckled and pulled his muzzle from between her legs. “Well that wasn’t as hard to do as I thought it would be.” She sat up and looked down at him with narrowed eyes before she slid down his chest and braced both his shoulders as he smirked. “Guess that thing your dad got you wasn’t working.”

Skye’s ears lit up as Nick laughed. “I’m going to kill him! He told you about that?!”

Nick nodded as her ears flushed. “Yeah, said If I wasn’t doing it for you at least you had something that would.” The young red fox laughed as her cheeks lit up. “He told me everything. He said you dropped it when you opened the box.”

Skye rolled over and laid next to him covering her face. “I didn’t know what it was. Gods he’s so embarrassing sometimes.”

“You knew what it was.” Nick smirked as she peeked at him and rolled her eyes.

“No I didn’t, there were two of them. The first one looked like a ring you stuck on your finger. I dropped the box when I turned it on and it started vibrating, then the other one rolled out of the box and I thought my fur might catch fire when a few of my girlfriends saw it and jumped up on the couch screaming… after he started laughing at me.”

Nick sat up and cocked his head. “He gave you that thing in front of other people?”

“Oh yeah, just what I wanted for my seventeenth birthday, a Dildo from my Dad that all my friends saw.” Nick fell over laughing as she shook her head. “You think it’s funny, but they also got an earful about how you weren’t taking care of business and servicing me.” Nick cringed as she leaned up and smirked. “So, let’s get to the business because you already serviced me.”

“Hey,” Nick growled as she straddled his hips again. “I said I’d give you something, not everything.”

The vixen shot him a cocky smirk as his eyes landed on her breasts and she shimmied back and forth snapping his eyes back to her face. “Like them?”

Nick sighed as she undid his shirt and felt her press them against his chest. His eyes slowly opened again as Skye’s lips pressed to his. Her paw was wondered through his fur and slipped under his pants as he grabbed her wrist and growled. “What are you doing?” He narrowed his eyes on her as she chewed her lip.

“Returning the favor?” He growled again as her fingers curled and watched her ears pin back as he glared at her. “I won’t take anything from you I can’t give back.” Nick chewed his lip as he let go of her paw and closed his eyes, almost chuckling as she let off an excited yip and started removing his pants.

He shook his head as she straddled his hips and stalled again. “You know you’re way too-OOH NO!” he grabbed her hips snarling at her as she slipped over him, and froze as his teeth flashed, his claws digging into her hips as he shot up with his teeth landing around her throat again. A deep growl had her clamping her eyes shut as she barely caught one of his green eyes locked on her face with a furiously curled brow above it. Her fists loosened as she felt his paws gripping her wrists and when she backed off the growl from him turned to something closer to a low rumble as his grip on her throat let up. She moved back a little further and he let go, leaning back again as he watched her with an intensity that shifted her eyes from his.

“Nick?” She sighed as he kept an almost angry muzzle pointed at her. “We’ve been together for four years. I’m not asking you to knot me or make this something we can’t walk away from.”

“Skye,” he growled as her shoulders pulled into her cheeks. “You know I love you, but you might change your mind about things later. I can’t take something from you I can’t give back.”

“I’m not changing my mind Nick. I don’t want a lot of snot nosed little brats running around or have to be cleaning up after them constantly, always messing with their dirty clothes and trying to make sure they look nice. I can’t even babysit without wanting to haul them back to their parents before they get in their car to leave. I’ve tried.”

She shivered as Nick sighed. “That sounds like what your mother did. It’s not just about that anyway. You’ve seen how people look at us when were together. We got ran out of the mall just for holding paws!”

“Oh who cares what they think? You should care more about what I think and how I feel than what anyone else does anyway.”

Nick sighed as he chewed his cheek. “I do, but I’m not claiming a mate until I have a den set up. I’m not breaking the barrier or knotting you. If you want to fool around, that’s all we’re doing.” The vixen looked back at him beaming and he shook his head as she tried to slide herself over his hips. “Not like this Skye. You have way too much control over what will happen in this position.”

Skye slid to the side of the bed watching him. Nick sat up and tilted his head over her shoulder as he pulled her against his back. She lurched forward off the bed and onto the floor as he folded over her and looked back with wide eyes as Nick smirked. “Really? You want to do it like we’re wild ani- AH!”

Nick smirked as he pressed against her core, chuckling as she dropped her head and started panting before she groaned. “Not good enough? We can quit.”

“NO!”

As he started pressing forward he grabbed the scuff of her neck as she let off an excited yip and clamped his eyes shut, moaning as he felt the heat from her wrapping around him before he let go huffing… “I’m going to kill Finnick!”

“What?” Skye asked panting as Nick groaned again.

“That dummy said something about pudding and uugh gods-

Skye giggled as she looked over her shoulder. “Maybe it’s more like apple Pie?”

“Apple pie?” Nick huffed as Skye groaned her approval, even though he wasn’t moving. “What is it with everyone referring to sex as food?!”

Skye looked over her shoulder biting her lip as Nick clamped his eyes shut fighting not to move. “We aren’t having sex because you aren’t moving!”

“I can’t because I know what’ll happen if I do.” Skye rolled her hips and Nick dug his claws into her thighs as he _barked_ , “QUIT IT!” in an aggressive tone that flipped her ears back before she froze and looked back at him.

“So, what’s it like then?”

Nick blew out a slow breath and ground his teeth together as Skye clenched her muscles and laughed as he growled. “It’s like…HEAVEN!” He snapped his eyes on her and growled as her face dropped and turned a bright crimson.

She knew exactly what he meant as he used her real name and the reference, before he pushed forward again and wrapped his arms around her chest. “Nick?” She almost sobbed as he rumbled against her back. “I can feel you swelling. You said you didn’t want to knot me or become mated yet.”

“This is as far as I can go. I’ll never claim you and I’m not going to knot you.”

“You’ll never claim me?” she asked as Nick clamped his teeth together.

“I have to figure out how to get around that part.”

Skye pulled away and rolled over looking at him as if he wasn’t who he’d always been. “Why are you doing this then? I thought you wanted me and we had a future together….”

“I do.” He turned his eyes from her as she sat up. “I just can’t claim you.”

“Why?” she asked as the inside of his ears turned red. “If you want to, why can’t you?’

Nick sighed as he sat on the bed. “Skye, how am I going to claim you when I can’t….just pictures of blood make me sick. I mean half the time I can’t even drink tap water without the honey in it because that’s what it tastes like to me. I know what’ll happen if I even try and it’s the last kind of impression I want to leave _all over_ my mate.”

Skye giggled as she crawled closer. “You mean you’re afraid you’ll puke when you claim me?” Nick glared at her for a second before he fell back on the bed. “You really think that would happen?” She watched his ears tip back as he grabbed the blanket on the bed and covered himself before he threw an arm over his eyes.

“I don’t know how much your dad told you about what it’s like for a tod, but the first time a guy knots his mate we’ll claim her too. It just happens.”

“That can wait until later.” Nick sat up as Skye sat on her knees and grabbed him. “You can’t pop me, but I can pop you.”

Skye pulled the blanket away and he sucked in a deep breath as her muzzle curled around him. He grabbed the rungs on the bed, rolling his hips as she growled. “Wait, wait I’m not ready!” She pulled away and bit her lip as Nick shied his eyes again. “I have to finish college and get a den set up so we can….” Skye looked at him and he cringed as her eyes glazed over. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to hurt your feelings but - He curled his lips as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around him sniffling.

“You really want to though.” Nick closed his eyes as she rumbled against his chest, feeling her fur brushing along his until they were both rolling their voices as their lips connected. His eyes clamped shut as she moved down is neck, nipping at his skin until he grabbed the bed again as her tongue rolled over is length.

“Skye.” He looked down at her with a flat face as she smiled at him.

“You don’t have to knot me yet. Just go with it.” Nick groaned as he curled his fingers around the frame of the bed, watching himself disappear under her muzzle as she started bobbing back and forth a little clumsily between his legs - not that it mattered as he fought not to growl.

“Skye.” He said almost breathlessly as her teeth grabbed his sheath. He stood slowly, grabbing her ears and grinding his jaw, looking at her curiously as she started crawling backwards, pulling him with her. Nick grunted several times with each step he took until she had him in front of a chair and pulled it under him still holding him in her mouth as she pointed to the desk. “A-Are you crazy? There’s no way I can write that paper with you doing tha -ugh…” Nick clamped his eyes shut as Skye kept moving, keeping him right on the edge. His paws fumbled with the keyboard as he fought to concentrate and the images of the pictures he had to use for the report were the last thing on his mind when he finished typing and looked down. “There is no way I’m going to pass with that paper.”

“Is it…done?” She asked as she wrapped her paws around him, grinning as he closed his eyes. He looked back at the screen and hit a button that sent it to the instructor.

“It is now. How do you know how to do that and keep me from…” Skye smirked and bit her lip. “Never mind, the way your dad talks I can only imagine what you’ve heard.”

“It’s not all he told me how to do.”

“You’re a girl! Why would he tell you any of that stuff!”

“Because he knows I want you!” She grabbed his knot and he slid down in the chair, his tail flaring as she wrapped her paws around him again.

“Skye Wait! –

She stopped and looked up at him grinning as he caught his breath and shook her head. “Would you relax. You won’t try to claim me like this and I’m taking you to -

“Just don’t.” He curled his lip almost grinning as she giggled.

“It would be better if you did.”

“I am not saying that.”

“I bet I can make you say it.”

Nick tried to curl his lip and shake his head, his eyes bulging as she swallowed him and sucked hard enough that his eyes rolled into his head as he clutched the chair. “Wait-wait! I’m about to - UGH!” She growled and her voice pulled him over the edge as he locked his teeth together. He grabbed both sides of the chair as his hips shot up, his muzzle clamping tightly as he hissed air through his teeth. She giggled again as he whined and managed to look down at her gasping as his knot swelled in her paws. Her lips stayed locked over him as she kept the grip that had him panting. “Oh oh – ease off a little! Do you know how sensitive a knot is?”

Nick gasped as Skye pulled him further into her mouth and tightened her grip, giggling as his knees pulled up around her ribs. “Ugh gods I’m gonna die in Heaven!” He was huffing as he kept trying to catch his breath and arched his back as she slowed her motions, still swallowing everything as she moved up and down his throbbing shaft. Nick looked at her heaving as she smirked, and groaned. “I can’t believe I said that….or that you liked it! You hate your name!” The vixen giggled and increased her speed as Nick clutched the chair, thrusting his hips again when she rolled into a feminine growl. “Ohhh…” 

\--------------------------------------------------------

Nicholas and Rose glanced at each other and shook their heads. The building they were looking at was heavily guarded by massive mammals that outweighed them by tons, and hidden from view because it was perched on the top of a much taller building that the view was blocked from by the others around it. He looked around narrowing his eyes as he caught the silhouette of a small figure on another roof. “Well Darlin, looks like we have an audience again.”

Rose scowled as she looked away from him and across the rooftops as he held a paw in front of her. She rolled her eyes as she pulled the discs from her knees and watched him stick them over his paws. They slipped into a shadow and he smirked as he grabbed the short blades from her hips. “Same as usual?” She rolled her eyes and almost giggling as he bounced his brows. She unwrapped the cape from her shoulders and rolled it over his before he slid down a drainpipe and started walking to the two rhinos at the front of the building. The silver fox smirked as he looked up and watched her sliding down some cables that led to the top of the roof. “YOU- WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? THIS IS AUTHORIZED PERSONAL ONLY! HOW DID YOU GET UP HERE?”

Nicholas looked at the rhino and cocked his head to the side. “What kind of authorization? Can I see yours?” The guards looked at each other and frowned before they jumped forward.

Earl Weaselton watched Nicholas Wilde throw several punches at a few large rhinos who had leapt at him, shaking his head as the discs over his paws connected with them and threw them back as if they’d walked into a wall of electricity. “I fuckin know I’ve seen the way he fights somewhere before.” His eyes shifted to the roof as Rose lit up like a small star. He was chuckling as she started spinning like a top with both long blades at her sides, throwing off the smaller mammals who were trying to encircle her. The vixen stopped huffing as an elephant jumped from a higher point, and blinked as the roof shifted. Nicholas looked up as he heard a loud thump, shoving the door open just in time to see Rose falling through the roof, with half the roof and an elephant under her. The structure had fallen through when his weight hit the roof not meant to support the weight. Rose landed on a large piece of uplifted flat blacktop that had rebar sticking from each side as Nicholas lifted a brow. “Not really your style Darlin.”

She rolled her eyes and jumped down beside him as he looked around chuckling and tapped his shoulder. He turned to find a dozen mammals running their direction. They glanced at each other smirking before they rushed to a large open area behind the fallen roof. “I didn’t need these.” Nicholas stuck the short blades back beside Rose’s hips and kissed her nose, chuckling as she tossed up one of the swords he turned and caught. They held them out pointed at the mammals gathering around them and their backs stayed to each other as they held the swords out, their extended arms clasped at their paws. Nicholas dropped his head, grinning as the cape he was wearing unwound from his shoulders and wrapped around their arms, tying them together. Half the group around them took several steps back shaking their heads as Rose let off a primal snarl. Nicholas smiled as he looked around. “You have something that doesn’t belong to you. Give it back and we’ll leave. If not, there won’t be anything left standing when we’re done, including you.”

Several of them curled their lips at the others who were backing away and shaking their heads. A large antlered deer came out chewing on a cigar and stepped around them. “You want it? Pay for it. You already know what I want if Big sent you.”

“It doesn’t work like that in Zootopia.” Nicholas growled as Rose kept her eyes roaming, looking for another area out of sight and keeping her eyes on the mammals around them she could see. A small yip from her and Nicholas ears set as stood grinning at the deer.

“And I guess you’re the one who decides the way?” he asked plucking the cigar from his mouth.

Nicholas smirked. “We are. No one is taking over anything here. We don’t negotiate on positions of power, they have to be earned through the proper channels.”

“Get em out of here.” The deer turned to walk away as the mammals around them gathered their courage and rushed them. 

Nicholas turned and swung the arm the cape had wrapped around, tossing Rose to the left as her feet left the ground. The mammals around them watched stunned as her legs wrapped around the neck of a wolf and dropped him to the floor. The cape unwound and stayed with Nicholas as she rolled over with the wolf and landed on his chest. The sword she had been holding was left in the silver foxes paws as he raised them both to his sides grinning. Her elbows slammed to the wolfs head and he was knocked out cold as Nicholas lifted both brows chuckling. She bent backwards summersaulting over the wolfs body and Nicholas bit his lip as she bounced off the floor and landed behind him again. He half looked over his shoulder as he glanced around the room. “You sure you want to go this direction?” he asked looking around as Rose snarled again. Several of them cracked their knuckles in their fists and he tossed the swords in the air laughing as Rose stuck a foot on his bent knee and jumped for them. He grabbed her feet and hurled her into the air, bending backwards and flipping away from the charging mammals at the same time….

Earl snarled as he tried to move around the roof, shaking his head as he looked through the binoculars again. “Gods damn it what I wouldn’t give to see what they’s doin in there!” He cursed as he kept turning his eyes from the flashing through the windows. The weasel lifted a brow as he watched Nicholas crawl onto the top of the broken roof and turn, throwing several punches at the few who’d managed to follow him. His brow dropped watching most of them fall back where they’d come from. He leaned over watching through the binoculars as Nicholas squared off with another red fox. His brow curled as he turned the discs on his paw and smirked, motioning for the other fox to take the first hit. His eyes swung back to the window watching Rose looking around as several larger mammals growled around her. She dropped her head and scrunched her muzzle, smiling as she lifted both swords. “They’s both nuts - they like this shit!”

Earl shook his head watching Nicholas boxing on the roof, losing track of Rose as she swirled away from the window. The cape Nicholas was wearing seemed to cling to him and stay out of the way when he dodged each fist and threw several left hooks as Earl dropped his brow shaking his head again. “I fuckin know I’s seen that left hook bef…..Hook.” His eyes wondered away from the fighting as the name rolled off his tongue. He left the rooftop and the fighting knowing they were capable of handling the situation and rushed to his car, throwing it in gear as he started making several phone calls.

Nicholas watched his car peel away as the red fox in front of him fell over. He looked back through the roof watching Rose jump up on the rubble from the collapse and looked up at him as he smirked. “Are you done having your fun yet?” The vixen shot him a snarky smile as he laughed. She looked around as Nicholas swung his eyes past her and back to him as she was surrounded again. “Ready to end this already? We still need to get the package back to Big.” She sighed and nodded as he shrugged. Nicholas stood up and raised his paws after moving the discs over his fingers and balled his fists. He tapped them together and Rose looked back at the mammals around her as the deer’s face dropped. He turned and started running as the others backed away, watching Nicholas above them, grinning from ear to ear. “Seems like you may have heard of us…” The silver fox fell through the opening in the ceiling and both discs over his fists hit the floor as he landed on bent knees. A wave of energy blasted from him and threw everyone the direction they’d turned in before the walls collapsed.

He stood up looking around as Rose rolled her eyes. “You got any idea where the-” He turned as she deadpanned him and pointed at a small area that was left standing. Nicholas walked over and pulled the wood away from the area, bending to his knees as a small bear roared and moved into the corner trying to hide himself. “He’s not even old enough to talk yet.”

“No, but I am.” Fru Fru stuck her head out from under the little bears shirt as Nicholas smiled. Rose dropped to her knees and reached in. The little bear whined as he backed into the corner until Fru Fru hopped onto his neck and started rubbing his ears. “Did Daddy send you?”

Rose nodded as Nicholas stood up and looked around. He cringed as he heard the sirens heading their way and grabbed Rose’s shoulder. She looked up at him as he chewed his lip. “How are we going to get him out of here before they get here? He may be a baby, but he’s still too big for either of us to carry.”

Rose tipped her head to Fru Fru as she stood up and looked around. Nicholas helped Fru Fru coax the little bear out of the hole as Rose grabbed the cape he was wearing. “Fru Fru? How did they grab you?”

Fru Fru sighed as she sat on the little bears shoulder, watching Nicholas try to pet his ears and get him calmed down. “They didn’t know I was with him. I’m sure they would have asked for a lot more if they knew I was here. I didn’t want him to be alone so I slipped into his little pocket at the day care center.”

“What they asked for was nothing short of well, everything.”

Fru Fru growled. “I heard. If it had just been money it wouldn’t have been an issue. Animals. Ooh if I was bigger and wasn’t worried about him I would have loved to get them under the house!” Nicholas chuckled as she stood there fuming on the little bears shoulder.

“Fru Fru? Can you, try to keep him calm and not talk like your father right now? He’s not going to be calm if he knows you’re upset.” The little shrew sighed as she returned her attention back to the little bear.

Nicholas turned as Rose leaned over and tied the ends together, pulling the little bears shirt off and refastening it over the cape under his arms. She grabbed Nicholas’ belt and he glared at her as she unfastened it and tied it around the little bear. The silver fox tipped a curious brow and cringed again as she handed him her cell phone and read the message she had sent to Mr. Big. “Rose.”

She lifted her paws and sighed. “We don’t have a choice Nicholas. Not if we don’t want the police involved.”

He looked at the little bear and Fru Fru frowning before he looked over the edge of the roof as Rose licked her fingers and stuck them in the air. Nicholas took his tie off and tied it around the little bears eyes as Fru Fru listened to him explaining everything. She crawled into the tie around the little bears head, talking to him in a soothing voice as both foxes grabbed his fingers and led him to the edge of the building. Fru Fru gasped as Nicholas and Rose jumped from the roof with the little bear, and looked up panting as the cape blew open like a parachute. Nicholas and Rose curled around the little bear and each other tightly to keep their weight centered. Fru Fru blew out a breath as they floated over rooftops and caught sight of a large white limo speeding through the streets, giggling as it finally found its way under them.

Nicholas looked back as the sirens stopped and raised a brow as Rose giggled. He looked down watching Kevin standing from the sun roof with his arms held out as they floated over the limo. Mr. Big was standing on his shoulder heaving as Rose and Nicholas grabbed each side of the cape. It untied from under the little bears shirt and he dropped into Kevin’s arms as Nicholas grabbed his tie and pulled it from his face. The little bear started to scream, and Nicholas and Rose smiled as the cape caught another gust of air and lifted them higher, watching the little bear fold under his father’s chin. Mr. Big grabbed Fru Fru when she slid off his little shoulder. Nicholas and Rose tipped their heads as Mr. Big looked back at them and bowed his head. They landed softly and the cape curled back around Nicholas as he curled around Rose, watching them all slip back through the roof as the tail lights faded. “Think we repaid the debt?” Rose looked at him grinning as the armor lost its sheen and turned back to dull outdated clothing. She leaned in scrunching her muzzle as he smiled. “We should go home Rose.” Rose bit her lip and nodded as Nicholas pulled her closer. He looked around grinning as she giggled and bit her lip. “No one’s around. Wanna be wild first?”

She threw her head back laughing as Nicholas spun away from her, one arm extended to her in a deep bow as he looked up at her grinning. She grabbed a sword from her back and tossed it to him as he stood. Nicholas caught it and chuckled as Rose pulled the other sword from her back. Both foxes took a pose towards each other before they swung, connecting and sending sparks flying. They leaned past the blades and locked their muzzles together as the cape around Nicholas fluttered in the wind and curled around them, pulling them closer together….

**Notes; Yes. That was a reference the Princes Bride. (1987)**

**In the movie Zootopia, Nick only ‘freaks out’ a few times; 1. After the press conference (muzzles and his past with them) 2. When nearly falling in the Jungle district and Judy catches him, (Because foxes can’t move there like they do in the rest of the city and know things changing in that district can cause a fox to be killed) 3. He really freaks out when a tiger jumps at him in Cliffside. He doesn’t seem to have a problem standing up to larger predators or large scary authority figures, because he tried to reason with a savage Manches and tells off Bogo when he tried to get Judy to quit and demands her badge - _while_ he’s standing in the center of tiger and rhino officers. The reason he’s afraid of tigers who are aggressive stem from the incident in the park when Officer Canine (A tiger) scared the hell out of him and Finnick at the park with Nicholas in Think Like A Fox, and that Finnick was taken from the family by a tiger who almost nailed a young Nick to the wall at the time.**


	6. The Hands We're Dealt

**The Hands We’re Dealt**

Nick: Peter Cetera; For The Glory Of Love

Skye: Paula Abdul; Rush Rush

Nicholas and Rose stepped into the house and Rose slipped into the kitchen carrying the armor before she took them to the basement. Nicholas turned his eyes to the stairs as Mr. Melgic opened the door with Finnick in tow. “Where’s Nick?”

Mr. Melgic motioned up the stairs. “We left him here to finish his paper.”

Nicholas narrowed his eyes on Finnick as he turned his head. “Thank you Mr. Melgic.” The old meerkat tipped his head and closed the door as Finnick made his way to the kitchen. “Finnick, tell your mother I’m taking Skye home.” Finnick nodded as the silver fox walked up the stairs and opened the boys bedroom door, cocking his head to the side as Nick looked up from the desk he was sitting at. “Did you get your paper turned in?”

Nick motioned to the bed and Skye rolled over yawning. “Yeah. About an hour ago. Skye helped. I’m still waiting to hear back from Professor Amery to get a confirmation that he received it though. He’ll only give the final grade in person at the university. I’ll have to take the bus because Mr. and Mrs. Lunar are doing something else and you’ll be at work.”

Nicholas nodded as he tipped his head to the door. “Skye, I’ll take you home. It’s too dark to walk alone in Happy Town.” Nick stood up getting ready to go with them and Nicholas shook his head. “Stay here and wait until you hear from your instructor.”

Nick sighed and retook his seat as Skye tipped lower and brushed her nose against his. “I’ll see you later.”

Skye cringed as Nicholas looked between her and Nick. “You aren’t coming over for his birthday tomorrow?”

Nick sighed as he looked back at the screen. “No. I need a few days to lay off everything and want to postpone it until Friday. My nerves are kind of fried and I want to just chill for a few days.”

Nicholas’ ears flipped up as Skye curled around Nick and brushed her head under his chin after he stood. He heard the two rumbling lightly at each as she pulled away and pressed her head to his. “Bye Nick.”

“Skye?” she turned smiling as Nick bit his lip. “Can you, go with me after I get a date setup to get the results? He only gives second graded attempts in person.”

“Sure Nick.”

He smirked as she tucked a stay strand of fur behind her ear. “I’ll call you when I find out what time.”

“Ok.” She scrunched her nose at him and Nicholas looked between them as Skye walked past him and shook his head before he followed her out to the car. He slid behind the wheel and pulled the car from the driveway as Skye pulled her skirt over her knees. “Rose told me what the paper was about. How did he finish it?”

Skye sighed and dropped her chin. “He got angry and it was enough to make the images sort of…”

“Ah.” Nicholas sighed as he turned the wheel. “I wasn’t sure anything would help him get past that subject.”

“Yeah well, cannibalism and starvation through history isn’t exactly something most people look into.”

Nicholas cringed as he turned the wheel into Tundra Town. “I wasn’t aware that there were a lot of instances of cannibalism.”

Skye looked at him and raised her brow as Nicholas glanced at her and back to the road. “I guess it happened more than most people think. He had dozens of examples and testimonies from survivors or others who witnessed it. Almost every time it happened it was because someone stuck a bunch of people in a situation where they were going to die if it wasn’t an option, and the others weren’t that much different because they got stuck somewhere doing something they shouldn’t have. The one that bothered him the most was something Stalin did. He sent a bunch of people to a deserted island and let them starve. He had just as many problems writing the paper about the trail of tears. Just different reasons. Every time he looked at a picture he would gag like he was looking at it as if he was there when it happened.”

“Well, history isn’t pretty and it’s hard to see some of the things we’ve done to each other.” Nicholas sighed as he pulled up to Skye’s house and watched her father step out on the porch after seeing the headlights.

“Yeah but it’s like he actually feels it. He says it’s like people have this switch they can turn off when they’re looking at it that makes it distant or like they’re disconnected from it and he gets upset because he wishes he could do that too.”

Nicholas chuckled as she grabbed the door handle and watched her rush into the house as Roger waved and closed the door. He pulled from the curb as his phone rang and shook his head. “Roland? Slow down, he’s what?....Why?” Nicholas pulled to the side of the road and flattened his brow as the fox on the other end of the line rushed to explain a few conversations he’d had. “Why would Earl be looking into that?” he pressed his fingers to his eyes and sighed. “No. Leave it alone. I’ll find out.” He hung up and dialed another number, curling his lip as a familiar voice swooned.

“Wilde.” Earl asked and Nicholas grit his teeth.

“Drop it.”

Earl chuckled as Nicholas narrowed his eyes. “I just wanted to know where ya’s came from.”

“I don’t.” Nicholas growled as he looked around. “Whatever you’re trying to do digging into my past, leave it alone.”

Earl chuckled. “This the Kings command?”

“Earl…” Nicholas growled and the weasel on the other end of the line chuckled. “It isn’t something you need to know or anything I want to know. Leave it in the past.”

“As you command.”

Nicholas hung up and growled as he shoved his phone in his pocket.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Renee peeked over Earl’s shoulder as he scrolled through several pages of old photos and shook his head. “He doesn’t want to know where he was born or where he came from?”

“Naw. Ain’t no reason to tell him anyway. It don’t make no sense Renee.”

The female weasel leaned over the desk looking at the picture of the red fox boxing in an old underground circuit ring and shook her head. “What doesn’t make sense?”

Earl sighed as he leaned back in the chair and folded his arms over his chest. “None of it. Soon as that name popped into my head I knew where I’d seen that fightin style before. This guy was at the top of the list for the underground rings. He just, disappeared. Bout the same time John showed up at that orphanage. I’m still waitin to get some papers from my contacts in Drealla County.”

“That’s half way across the country.”

Earl sighed as he looked back at the picture and nodded. “It’s where it says he was born, I only know that cause it was on his birth certificate and I remembered havin to look the place up when I did the papers for him and the family. But I ain’t had one fox or any contact here confirm seein this guy so I don’t know how he woulda learned to fight like that. His name was Adam Eden. The last thing I found on him from the circuit was that he was takin some time off for some kind of family thing. John couldn’ta learned how to fight like this from his trainer cause he died about a year before Adam disappeared.”

“Why are you even lookin into it if John doesn’t want to know and the guy disappeared? You could talk to someone in the City of Roses.”

“Just curious I guess and that ain’t gonna happen. Be stupid if I went askin anybody there cause they’d start askin why I was askin and might get nosey enough to come looking round here.”

Renee shrugged. “I don’t see why, they all know he’s the king.”

Earl scoffed as he turned in his chair. “The councils know, nobody else does, ain’t nobody in the general public gonna know that until that youngest boy of theirs turns eighteen and I ain’t got no idea exactly why they left The City Of Roses. Just that it was all over the place with the story of the Blood Rose and all the mammals that got killed.”

Renee cringed. “I suppose that could cause them problems.”

Earl shook his head looking back at the picture and narrowed his eyes as he leaned closer to the screen. “Not necessarily. Depends on why it happened. I ain’t looked into nuthin that happened there an keep avoidin it cause it might stir problems, but if it’s what I suspect they won’t get in no trouble at all.”

Renee curled her brow as Earl kept studying the picture and he looked up at her before rolling his eyes. “All the rumors I heard were that everyone that died was prey mammals. I caught a few bits and pieces about the family they were all chasing after. Seems most of em were killed. If they was all prey that got killed trying to hurt a predator, or any other kind of animal, they’d fall under the Primal laws and be protected by the Rights of Survival act.”

Renee shook her head as Earl leaned back in his chair. “It aint common knowledge and its kept that way on purpose so people don’t abuse the law. Anyone, including law enforcement and people workin in the law know the Primal Laws and are sworn to keep them silent. If an animal of any species kills another animal fighting for their life or the life of their family because they’re bein threatened with death, they ain’t held responsible for it. They don’t want nobody knowin about that law cause they’re afraid if it was common knowledge people would use it tryin to get away with murder. Anyone who’s actually had to kill another animal trying to escape some kind of prejudice or keep their family safe are automatically reassigned new identities and hidden by the government. Its only known as the law above all laws.”

Renee looked back at the picture of the red fox mid swing, stuck on the screen and shrugged. “Guess it doesn’t make any sense to me.”

Earl flicked the screen to another shot of a closeup of the red fox and looked at her frowning. “Making killin another mammal illegal by any species was the first law ever enacted. The only reason someone could do it was if they were fighting for their own life or the life of their family against someone who had it out for them just cause of what they were born as. This was the last primal law put in place and supersedes every division of any each species’ own laws cause they’re different for each kind. We all got different laws about mating and burying our dead, social structures, even what happens when it comes to criminal procedures, cause some species can’t be confined with others. The Founders saw there could still be problems between species even after all the wars and fightin stopped. If any species goes after the opposite kind - predator after prey, or prey after predator, it falls under an act of hate and they have the right to defend themselves, and kill if necessary. It’s law above all laws, the law of survival.”

“So why’s this guy so interesting to you?” Renee asked.

Earl looked back at the screen and shook his head. “I ain’t figured it out yet. Just somethin familiar about him and John that keeps pullin my attention. If he’d been around any of the foxes here, nobody’s tellin. Tight mouthed about that kinda stuff and even more so when it comes to talkin about John or his mate and kits. The few I knew he’d been around when he was younger told me politely to fuck off.”

Renee laughed as Earl looked at her and glared. She jumped as his printer started spitting out papers and he smirked as she rolled her eyes and left the room. Earl snatched the papers and looked them over dropping his brow before he grabbed his phone. “I got a request.”

A heavy sigh landed in his ears as he looked over the paper grinding his teeth. “What is it this time?”

Earl looked over the paper and punched in a few things on the copier before hitting send. “Tell me who could make this happen.”

Earl sat down frowning as he heard papers ruffling on the other end of the line, followed by a long silence. “I’m not touching this.” The weasel growled as the voice on the other end of the line groaned. “These are sealed records and I don’t know who could have altered them. But I’m not stupid enough to start looking around.”

Earl growled as he looked at the paper. “Well he had to have parents! I just says he was a single kit born on this day and don’t list a mother or father!”

“That’s my point. Somebody with enough power to alter records at a hospital and in the main system isn’t somebody I want to meet. Even you don’t have that much power.” The line went dead as Earl scowled at the phone and threw the papers on his desk.

“I’m leavin!”

He turned his chair watching Duke grab the car keys off the stand next to the door. “Where the hell ya think you’re goin!?”

“Out.” Duke answered as he rushed from the room and Earl jumped from the chair growling as he ran into the living room.

“Hey! Ya worthless little shit! Don’t be dingin up that car again an ya’s better be here in the mornin to run the north corner and keep an eye on your sister while your mothers runnin the papers!”

“Whatever.” Duke growled as he slammed the front door, leaving Earl standing there fuming.

“RENEE! YA’S BETTER DO SOMETHIN WITH THAT DAMN BRAT! I SWEAR I’M GONN-

“WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO? HE WON’T LISTEN TO ME EITHER!”

“DAMN FEMALE! I SWEAR IF YA HADN’T SPOILED THE BRAT ROTTEN HE- He turned and folded his ears back as a young weasel stood in front of him with her brows up. “Amelia?” His phone rang and he held a finger up to her smiling as he stuck it to his ear.

“Mr. Weaselton.” A mechanically deep voice resonated through the line and set his ears in suspicion.

Earl waved his finger at his daughter as he covered the receiver. “Give me a minute doll. Go and see if Mum has some of those mints you like an tell her I got some business to talk. Can you do that for me darlin?”

“K Daddy!”

He chuckled as she skipped off and let his face fall as he stuck the phone back to his ear. “Who is this? Ain’t nobody got my number with my name attached to it.” His ears flicked back and forth as he stepped back into the room with the computer and closed the door, his face dropping as the screen flicked to someone in a seated position wearing a long robe that obscured their face, ears, and species. He was frantically typing trying to get a lock on their location as the signal kept scrambling through different locations.

“If you want answers, go to the temple of Nine. The only wisdom I can give you is that this information could be deadly if it were known to any others in your family.”

Earl sat up glaring at the screen as his fingers stopped and curled his nose. “Ya’s got some balls thinkin ya’s can threate-

“Your son is driving a 79 Mercury, two tone blue and white with vintage whitewall tires. He’s currently on Main street turning into the Cavern of Critters, known as the bluff by the ones his age. Your mate and daughter are in the kitchen making cocoa with some kind of peppermint sticks.”

Earl felt the fur on his neck stand as he sat up in his chair and swept his eyes around the room. He started to stand and froze as the mechanical voice in his ear chimed again. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Leave your phone in the tank. You have half an hour to be at the temple of Nine. Go to the Black Beacon of light and through the mists of the harbor. One of the followers will be waiting for you.”

“What if I don’t agree to this bullshit?” Earl sucked in a breath as he watched several shots pop up on his screen and dropped his phone in the fish tank beside the door as every system in the house shut down and sent smoke rolling. It was set up so that if anyone tried to break in to get information past the first fire wall, the whole system would overload into an electromagnetic pulse and fry everything beyond repair so the information would never be retrievable on anything he’d ever done. It wasn’t the scenes that came up that shook him to the core, but that he could see his mate and daughter in the kitchen, and his son in a car miles away with a girl, through what appeared to be a target scope. “RENEE! I GOTTA GO TAKE CARE OF SOME BUSINESS, I’LL BE BACK LATER!” He rushed out the door ignoring her as she tried to chase after him and watched the tires peel out as he screeched onto the street. Earl passed the large tower that illuminated the street in a black light, and roared past the mist coming from the ports along the harbor, stopping at a dead end before he got out and was pacing back and forth beside his car. He turned as he heard a car door close and lifted his head as a young hyena stepped through the fog.

“Mr. Weaselton.” He stated as he dipped his head.

Earl scowled as the hyena motioned back towards a barely visible vehicle in the fog. He looked around and sighed as he followed the mammal back to his car and was clenching his jaw as he slid into the seat, watching as the hyena slid behind the wheel. “What the fuck is this shit and who are ya?”

“Manny. You want answers, you will get them.” The hyena answered as the doors automatically locked. Earl curled his fists in his lap as the car rolled through the streets. Closing his eyes at the fact that the windows were tinted so dark not even the security cameras in Zootopia would be able to see through them. When the car stopped at a gated building and pulled past a large hidden yard into an enclosed garage he could already feel his heart thumping in his fingers as the door opened again, still frowning at the hyena who motioned to another door. Earl sighed as he followed the young canine through a passage of halls and shook his head at the odd murals all over the walls.

Manny opened a door and motioned inside as Earl looked around and stepped inside, taking a seat in the only chair positioned on the other side of the desk. He looked up as the hyena took a stand behind him and back to the chair facing the wrong direction behind the desk. Earl’s ears perked as he heard someone from the other side of the desk sigh. “Exactly what is it you have been looking for regarding John Doe and why?”

Earl scowled as he tilted his head. “Information is money. It’s all I deal in.”

“So, he is searching for something from his past?”

“He ain’t. I am. Why’s you so interested in John?”

“Piberius.”

Earl lifted a brow as the chair facing the wrong direction rocked back and forth and leaned back in the chair folding his arms over his chest. “Piberius?”

The voice chuckled. “His name is Piberius, and his mates name is Rose now. But you already knew that. If we’re going to play like we don’t know what you’re looking for, this will take forever. I want to know why you’re looking.”

Earl looked up at Manny watching the hyena keep his eyes on the chair across from the desk. “Like I said, Information is money.”

“What is it you planned on doing with this information?”

“Nuttin is free.” Earl growled and the voice chuckled as the chair rocked back and forth.

“So, I’ll give you some information if you give me some. That seems to be what you want. I’ll even give you mine first. His parents are dead. His birth caused the death of his mother and littermates.”

“And his father?” Earl asked as the chair stopped rocking. His ears pinned up as he caught a faint growl.

“Foxes lose their mate and they die with them.”

“Why ain’t his parent’s names listed on his birth certificate? If there was others in the litter it shoulda listed the number of em on there too, even if they didn’t live.”

Earl looked up behind him as the hyena curled his lip at him and growled. He caught a movement from the chair and jerked his eyes back to it, missing whatever motion had caused the hyena to relax into an easy stance again. “I have given you some information. Do the same of you wish to know more.”

Earl bit his lip as he looked back at Manny and sighed. “Let’s not pretend what this is. Ain’t that many who can break into my system or have eyes on my family. I wanted to know anything about him I could find to get into the den here. I do business with a lot of em and this one is real…it don’t work like the others. I can usually find at least one fox who can let me know what’s goin on in a den so I can get a foot hold in on the business of the foxes in the area. I can’t get none of them to talk about nuttin here.”

“From what I understand you already have a foothold on the business of foxes here, Mr. Weaselton. Why look into Piberius?”

Earl cocked his head to one side and curled his lip. “That two cents on the dollar? If ya know about that then ya know I take ten percent of what everyone else is makin on the Grid. He’s the weakest link that’s why. The best bet to me getting information on how this den works.”

The voice behind the chair chuckled. “I wouldn’t count on that being a fact. You’re the one who set up all the papers that got them settled here and you know nothing about why they’re here?”

“Only the rumors I heard.” He looked at the back of the chair suspiciously as it tipped several times and shook his head. “How the hell ya’s know who I am or that I’m the one that did that?”

“I’ll answer that and every other question you have if you answer one question for me first.”

“If I know the answer I’ll answer it.” Earl replied and cocked his head when the chair almost turned enough he could look around it.

“Were you the one who blew up the food distribution plant a few years back?” Earl sat up and blinked as the hyena’s paw landed on his shoulder and looked up at him, frowning.

“What the fuck does that have to do with John or the den?”

“Nothing.” The voice replied as Earl looked up at Manny frowning. “But it seems you’ve managed to upset a few very influential people who took a keen interest in what you’ve been doing in Zootopia. Who was the guard there that night? You’re the only one around here who could have arranged for someone to be there without it being on record.”

Earl’s face dropped as Manny stepped away and he stood up flashing his teeth. “I was! You got any fuckin idea what they were tryin to do?!”

“I really don’t care, now as for the information you’re looking for, I suggest you sit back down and listen. We’re going to trade one for another.” Earl slammed back into the chair gritting his teeth at the Hyena who was snarling down at him kept a firm grip on his shoulder. “Tell me about Nicholas and Rose Wilde, and their son.”

“Which son?” Earl asked curling his lip as Manny let go of his shoulder and looked at the back of the chair blinking.

“They have two? ” The voice behind the chair asked as it stopped rocking.

Earl covered his mouth as he leaned back in the chair shaking his head. He sighed as he settled in the chair and fought not to groan for the mistake he’d just made. “Yeah, he’s a few years younger than Nicky.” he curled a brow as the chair stayed motionless and tipped his head.

“A brother was brought to him…hehehe.”

“How did you know that? You knew them before they came here? I been trying to find out anything about them from before. Well more him cause she never goes anywhere.”

“You don’t know where they live?”

Earl shook his head as he curled one side of his lip. “Damn impossible to find a fox’s den. Ain’t seen her since right after they got here. But I figured he’d be the easiest to manipulate to get into the den here.”

The voice chuckled as Earl scowled. “So you don’t know a whole lot about where he came from, why he left or – what do you know?”

Earl looked around and groaned. “He paid me a ton of money to get them their new names with a shit load of family history in case anyone ever came lookin. It was the vixen’s mother who took care of everything else. I didn’t see em after they left. I don’t like keepin in touch with people I remake and leave a trail someone can find. I told em to stay away from me and I’d do the same.”

“Why is it you only get two percent from them when its ten from everyone else? ”

“It was the damn older vixen that did that! Said I could take it or leave it. After that place got up and runnin good she said she’d have them foxes causin me more problems than I could deal with if I didn’t take the deal. Somethin to do With Big and John bein close, or I don’t even know, I just wasn’t stupid enough not to listen.”

“Hmm. But you’re trying to get in with Piberius again?

“I’s been trying for years! Ya’s can see how well that’s workin can’t ya? He don’t trust nobody and every time I try he-

The voice chuckled from behind the chair as Earl scowled again. “He works for Mr. Big. From what I’ve gathered you and Mr. Big are rivals of sorts.”

“Of sorts!?” Earl snarled as he shook his head. “Ya ain’t got enough information to know that shrew causes me all kinds of problems and all I ever get from him is a Big mess to clean up?! That little rat is constantly tryin to take over my runs and had me runnin circles tryin to keep everything in order with the short temper he has.”

“So, why do you believe Piberius is the way into this den?”

“I don’t. He was just the only one I could get any information on cause I dealt with him before. I been tryin to get in there since it was set up and I seen it was runnin good. He just started makin a habit of goin back and I think it might be cause of them kits.”

“What do you know about his mates family?”

“Ain’t a whole lot to know is there? Foxes, secretive lot and don’t tell a lot of their business. Was a rumor goin around her mother had a seat on the council, but from what I gathered it wasn’t that big a deal.” Earl tilted in his chair as the chair in front of him stopped rocking again. “Ya’s know somethin I don’t?”

“Apparently not in that area. I was aware she had a seat on the council in The City Of Roses, but I was never in the den and didn’t deal with them. On the one occasion I did it was made clear I would not be welcomed inside or know its business.”

Earl narrowed his eyes between the back of the chair and the hyena standing behind his seat. “You a fox? Ain’t seen nothin but canines in here.”

The chair creaked as it leaned back a little further and he leaned to the side as the voice chuckled. “So you have no idea what’s going on in this den or how Piberius may be involved with it?”

“How the fuck would I?”

The chair stopped again and a heavy sigh had the weasel’s ears tilting forward as he tipped his head. “Did you find out anything about him from his past?”

Earl curled his lip. “Not a whole lot. I asked one of the foxes about it and John called me, told me to stay out of his business. Made it clear he didn’t want to know anything about his past and to leave it there.”

The voice hummed and the chair rocked from side to side as Manny lifted his head watching Earl looking between them again. “So, it would seem he at least has friends here, but friends is all?”

“It would seem so. He ain’t no different than any other fox.” Earl growled as he rolled his eyes. “Now, ya’s wanna tell me how the hell ya’s got into my system and why ya wanna know about him, his family and the food distribution plant?”

“Oh he’s not the same, and neither is his son. Would you like to know his father’s name?”

Earl’s ears perked as he sat up in his chair and narrowed his eyes, turning to watch Manny straighten his back. “Ya might as well tell me whatever ya brought me here for cause I already know I ain’t leavin. You’re a predator, ain’t ya’s even curious why I blew that place up? Might change your mind if ya knew. Why the hell ya keep callin him Piberius? Nobody calls him that.”

“I know his name, because….I named him. I doubt it would bother me since I’m the one who owned the factory. I just didn’t run the place. You managed to take a good percentage of our annual revenue destroying it. A very small percentage, but still….”

Earl’s face dropped as the chair turned and he leaned back in his seat as an older red fox shot him a one-sided smile. He shook a finger at the fox as he stood and walked around the desk. “Hook….It’s the eyes that give it away. That’s why I kept thinkin everything about him was familiar, not just the way he fought. The way he moves, the mannerisms….”

Adam smiled wider as he leaned over the chair, watching Earl press himself into it frowning. The weasel curled one side of his lip uncomfortably as Manny held out a pair of brass knuckles and Adam shook his head as he stood and rolled his sleeves up. “I don’t think I’ll be needing those with this one. He’s already seen me in the ring a few times. Maybe watched a few of my fights when he was younger, or bet on them?” Earl scowled as Manny stepped back towards the door and bowed his head.

“Call if ya need me Boss.” The door closed behind the hyena and the weasel jumped from the chair snarling. One good left hook left him on the floor as Adam stepped around his head, smirking as he looked up spitting blood on the floor. “If ya’s think I’m gonna make this easy, ya’s crazier than bat shit!”

“I don’t, but I don’t believe everything you’ve told me and I plan on using you as this week’s workout to make sure I get the truth about everything you know, since you fried your system and we couldn’t look.”

Earl sat up frowning as Adam rolled his fingers. “We?”

Adam shrugged as the weasel got to his feet again and Earl was knocked over the desk with the next punch, looking up to see a large screen with several robed figures watching on the other side of the room. The weasel huffed as he dusted himself off and shook his head watching the red fox bow towards them. “You ain’t got no idea who ya’s dealin with!” Earl snarled as he leapt over the desk. “At least I can try to knock some sense into ya before I die!”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Renee was frantically looking through the house shaking her head as all the electrical devises sent smoke and sparks in every direction. She grabbed her daughter and rushed into a small car beside the house before she hit the gas and was racing to another location as she pulled a burner phone from under the seat. “Pick up. Pick up.” She kept muttering as her daughter clutched a stuffed bear and watched with a turned brow.

“Mom?”

Renee calmed her breathing and looked at her daughter smiling. “It’s ok, I just need to tell your brother what’s going on and he isn’t answering his phone. Daddy’s in some kind of trouble.”

Her face fell as Renee chewed her lip and pulled into a large driveway with a chain between the two walls. A polar bear grunted as the small car pulled closer and she dipped her ears back as he frowned at her. Renee grabbed her daughters paw as Raymond bent over and looked in the car. “You know there’s only one reason we’d come here.”

He dipped his head and grabbed the chain before he pulled it away from the driveway and watched the car pull closer to the house.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Nicholas had just pulled into the driveway when Rose slammed against the hood of the car. He jerked in his seat at the shock of her being there and watched her shoot around the other side of the car and jump in the passenger side as her paws started flying a million miles a minute. “Rose...Rose…ROSE!” He grabbed her paws shaking his head. “Slow down!” She clamped her eyes shut and opened them puffing a breath as Nick and Finick stood in the door watching. Nicholas lowered her paws closer to the seat and tipped his head to the door. “The boys are watching. We can talk about whatever this is inside, after they go to bed.” He signed under the dash as she ticked her eyes back and watched Nick curl his lip.

Rose sighed as she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself, placing a paw over her eyes as she lowered her head. Nicholas picked her chin up smiling softly as he turned her attention to him. “One thing at a time Rose.” The vixen rushed over the seat into his arms and he was rumbling as he pet the back of her head. After calming her enough that she leaned away and took a deep breath, he opened the door and pulled her out of the driver’s side, walking to the house as she clung to his arm. Nicholas closed the door as Nick and Finnick stepped back watching their mother’s paws still shaking. “You boys go get ready for bed, me and your mother need to talk.” Nick shook his head and stomped up the stairs as Finnick watched him. The small fox cringed as the door slammed and dropped his head as Rose’s shoulders fell. Finnick walked to her as Nicholas smiled and scrunched his nose, chuckling as he wrapped around one of her ankles and looked up at her with big brown puppy eyes. Rose giggled as he held his arms up and shook her head after she picked him up, laughing as he rubbed his scent under her neck. She was never going to get used to the way he always wanted to cling to her when he knew she was upset and sat him on the stairs, petting his ears as he nipped at her fingers. Nicholas winked at him as he jumped up a step, looking back as she curled around the silver fox. He tipped his head up the stairs and Finnick took off running as Rose sniffled against his chest. Once he knew Finnick was in his room he took a deep breath and led her around the couch taking a seat in his chair, pulling her into his lap. “What’s going on?”

Rose closed her eyes and he grasped her paws as they trembled. One reassuring smile and she slowly spelled out what the problem was. “Renee went to Mr. Big.” This had Nicholas’ face falling as she closed her eyes and tried to calm her paws. “She said he wiped everything from his central data banks and fried the system, he’s been missing since around four. She had Mr. Big send the bears to find Duke and they’re staying at his place. Duke isn’t even two years older than Nicky. There’s no one else who can run the Grid in Zootopia.”

“Maybe he just got caught somewhere and-

Rose shook her head as Nicholas perked his ears and looked at her paws again. “Renee said he dropped his phone in the fish tank. He had it set up that if anyone tried to get into his system it would burn out everything in there before they could get to it, and he told her if it ever happened she was to go to Mr. Big and stay there until he let her know everything was alright. They had some kind of system set up so he could get ahold of her if something happened. He should have contacted her within an hour after it happened. He still hasn’t and its after nine. She gave this to Mr. Big.”

Nicholas looked over Rose’s phone of the list he’d sent, curling his brow and frowning as he turned his head and closed his eyes. “Earl wants us to take over the Grid if he doesn’t come back?” Rose dropped her head and bit her lip when Nicholas cupped a paw over his eyes. “I’ll go talk to Mr. Big.” She slid off his lap and watched him stand, straightening his tie and suit coat. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone.” Rose sighed as he pecked her cheek. She watched him leaving and clutched her phone, trying not to think of all the things that could happen as his car pulled from the driveway.

Nicholas tried to keep the speed of the car under control as he paced through each, district until he came to the driveway in Tundra Town where Raymond dipped his head and removed the chain. He parked the car and made his way inside, taking note of how the bears seemed to be more on edge than he’d ever seen them. Once Boris closed the door behind him he was met with Renee turning in her seat, Sabby sitting next to her with Amelia in her lap and an infuriated teenager glaring at all of them as he ticked his eyes around the room. “Sir?” he asked as Mr. Big stood from his chair and stepped closer to the edge of the desk.

“Did you receive the message I sent to Rose?”

“I did, but I’m not sure why you sent it to her and not me.”

Mr. Big sighed as he looked around the room. “Boris sent it. I did not want to risk someone possibly looking into who I was calling. It is not as likely they would search through the bears who work for me.”

Nicholas nodded as he stepped closer to the desk. “Sir, I cannot take over the Grid. It could cause so many problems I can’t even name all of them.”

“What would you suggest Nicholas?” Mr. Big asked.

“I suggest you take over it for the time being. Until we have something concrete on what’s going on with Earl.”

“The fuck any of ya are!” Renee dipped her ears back as Duke stepped up snarling. “My family built that shit an works with everyone in the Grid to keep the city right! Ain’t nobody comin in takin it from us, specially not no damn fox or the guy who’s known as bein ruthless when it comes to business!”

“What did you call me?” Mr. Big asked as his muzzle curled and pulled his lips over his teeth.

Boris snatched Duke up by the scruff as Renee started screaming. Nicholas was quick to throw his paws up and dip his ears back as the bears fur stood on end. “Everybody calm down!”

Duke snarled as he looked back at Boris and looked around shaking his head. “He is ruthless, we all know what happens to people who piss him off! Why the fuck ya all listenin to a damn fox!”

Renee stood and squared her shoulders as Duke dangled from Boris’ paw. “He’s not just a fox! He’s the king of all councils and Mr. Big works with him and the wolves to set things right that your father couldn’t fix. If you had paid any attention to what your father kept trying to teach you - you would know Mr. Big’s wife’s died when his son was born and her name was RUTH. I am ashamed of what you have just done!” The bear was trying not to growl as Nicholas shook his head.

Duke curled his lip and looked around, watching Nicholas tip his ears back and turn his head as Mr. Big kept his teeth locked tight. He raised a paw and Boris sat him down still grinding his teeth. “Are you still in school? Do you know enough to run the Grid?”

Duke looked at Mr. Big and lifted his head as he nodded. “Most of it. I ain’t as familiar with some of the people he has runnin different sections. School ain’t as important as the Grid.”

“Renee?” Nicholas asked as she looked back at him and lowered her head.

“He’s right about that.” She sighed.

Nicholas tipped his head to Mr. Big and the shrew grit his teeth as he sat back in his chair. “Mr. Big can help you until we know what’s going on. I believe he has plenty of resources and available people who can keep things from falling apart, so you can run the Grid.”

Duke looked around suspiciously as the bears looked to Mr. Big. The shrew bared his teeth at Duke and Renee glared at her son. “Make amends for the insult and I will provide anything you may need.”

Duke scowled at his mother and looked between the bears, back to Nicholas. The silver fox tried not to cringe as he sighed. “If you want a business partner Duke, and that is what he would be until everyone knows you’re handling your father’s business, you’re going to have to make some exceptions. He will provide the muscle that will keep things in order, you have to provide the respect. Your whole family may be at risk and you’ll be the one responsible for what happens if you want to take over what your father was running until he returns. You’re going to have a hard time doing that at your age without someone making sure the Grid is reinforced.”

Duke looked back at his mother and dipped his ears back as Amelia looked up from Sabby’s lap. He watched Nicholas dip his ears back and turn his head, almost sighing when his mother growled at him. He flipped his ears back and dropped his head as Mr. Big kept his lips curled. “My apologies for the insult Mr. Big, and King of all councils.”

Nicholas actually cringed as Mr. Big stood and tilted his head to the side, growling. “Where did you hear I was ruthless?”

Duke kept his ears back in a submissive manner but was fighting not to curl his lips. “It’s what everyone says about ya. Have for years.”

Mr. Big dipped his head and turned his eyes. “Boris, set up the guest house for the Weaselton’s until we know their home is secure. Contact as many bears as you can, in the morning you will have them meet Mr. Weaselton out back so he can start organizing who needs to be where to keep things from falling in the Grid.”

Boris showed the Weaselton’s out the back door as Mr. Big landed in his chair again and Nicholas tipped his head. “Sir?”

Mr. Big looked up with heavy eyes and Nicholas made a sour face as they seemed to stay under his brows. “I will handle this as long as I am needed to Nicholas. I know Weaselton asked that you took it over, but I have to assume he knew what would happen if anyone saw you as the one running the Grid, and knew this would happen.”

Nicholas sighed as Mr. Big motioned to a chair. He sat down chewing his lip as the shrew’s eyes seemed to sink under his brows. “I may be able to lend some aid with a few foxes, but it wouldn’t be a good idea to let them see a lot of us running things.”

“No, it would not be wise. If anyone thought a fox was at the top it would just set off others asking questions or cause problems with…. _sigh_ …yes, unmeasurable problems. I am sure the bears being instructed under his son will look as if he has finally managed to gain some kind of authority over who is known as… ruthless.”

Nicholas scrunched his shoulder as the bears in the room curled their lips. “I am at our call if you need me, Sir, but I left Rose and the boys are-

Mr. Big nodded silently as he motioned to the door. “You do not need to ask my leave Nicholas. You never have, but I appreciate the respect of it.” The silver fox tipped his head and sighed as he stood and closed the door as he left. Mr. Big rubbed his brow, mumbling as the bears glanced back and forth between him and each other. “Ruthless….” He muttered as he rubbed his chin and shook his head. “What deal did I make for myself…… with little understanding and the twisted meanings of the words. I had no thought about how I would become what I wished to be.” He pulled the little locket out of his pocket, looking at the face of the clock without hands and let his brows stay curled over his eyes as he closed it and stuck it back in his pocket. “I will be running everything and become more powerful than a King with Weaselton as a partner that helps those in the city. Yet I am known to all, only as…..Ruthless.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nicholas let his head hang as he pulled the keys from the ignition. He walked into the house and Rose stood from his chair wringing her paws. He shook his head and she followed him up the stairs, sitting on the bed as he pulled his suit off and tossed it in the laundry hamper. After taking a quick shower he looked in and saw Nick and Finnick curled in their beds before returning to a waiting Rose as she pulled the blankets back, curling around him as he held an arm open, letting her push her head under his chin…

Nick tipped his ears back and forth and sat up, slowly pulling his pants over his pajama bottoms before he peeked out the door and grabbed his shirt. He stuffed a few pillows under his blankets and pulled the window open, wincing as it creaked. He looked around and almost jumped, clutching his chest as Finnick’s head fell over the top bunk grinning in his face. “You’re sneakin out? Mr. Goody two shoes is breakin the rules?!”

Nick rolled his eyes as he stuck a leg out the window and dipped his shoulder under the frame. “If you’re coming shut up and get dressed.” Finnick laughed and Nick glared at him. “Shut up Dummy! You’re going to wake up Mom and Dad!” he hissed as Finnick cupped a paw over his muzzle and rushed down the ladder. Nick got to the bottom of the rain gutter and looked up nervously, glancing around as Finnick slid down the gutter. He grabbed him before his claws slipped across the pieces that attached to the house and sat the small fox on the ground as he looked back at the fence. Finnick snickered as Nick tip toed to the gate and grabbed the latch, opening it in a way it wouldn’t make noise before they were rushing down the dark street. They rounded the corner and Nick looked down at Finnick as he started laughing and took off.

They made their way through happy town as Finnick kept grumbling about trying to keep up. Nick grabbed him and stuck him on his shoulder, chuckling as he caught his breath and dipped into an underpass that led to the sewers. “So where we goin?”

Nick jogged around another block and they traversed through several sewers, until he pulled Finnick out grinning. The small fox blinked as he caught Skye’s car parked at the end of the road. He sat Finnick down and turned laughing as Skye rushed them. She jumped on Nick’s back curling her legs around him and he leaned over laughing as he caught her weight. Finnick shook his head as they brushed their muzzles against each other laughing. “Holy shitsicles Skye! Your dad finds out you ain’t home he’s gonna flip his shit!”

Skye giggled and Nick let her down, grinning as her arms curled around him. “He’s working the nightshift. Come on, we gotta go.”

Finnick looked at Nick and the young red fox smirked as he bounced his brows. He threw his paws up asking for an explanation and Nick shrugged as they walked to Skye’s car. After getting in he kept ticking his eyes between them as they drove through several districts and leaned up in the seat as they pulled into a large parking lot that led to a small gravel road. His eyes widened as the factory came into view and Skye parked the car giggling as Finnick looked up between the seats with his jaw hanging open. Nick looked back at him grinning as the music coming from inside almost bounced the car. Finnick chuckled as Jimmy and Johnny jumped on the hood. “Come on! Everybody’s here already!”

Nick laughed as he jumped from the car with Skye giggling as she held the door open and let Finnick climb out. Finnick shook his head as Jimmy and Johnny opened the large doors and gaped as the young foxes inside screamed and waved back at them… The doors closed as both foxes picked up guitars and Finnick was jumping as he made his way behind a set of drums that had his cheeks rising before the hours started ticking away…

Nick fell back on a large broken-down chair and pulled Skye over his lap, rumbling as their muzzle connected. Jimmy and Johnny laughed as Finnick grabbed a can from a cooler and tossed them each a soda. “We need to leave so we can get home.”

Finnick leaned back against a bean bag and yawned. “Why didn’t ya just bring the van?”

Johnny scoffed. “How would we have done that with it being as loud as it is?”

“Hmm, yeah. Forgot she likes to backfire a lot.” Finnick smirked as Nick and Skye kept curling around each other and raised a brow as he leaned forward narrowing his eyes on her.

“Quit it.” Nick said in a low voice as her paws raised above his ears. She giggled as he grabbed her paws and deadpanned her. “You gave your word Skye.”

“Ok.” The young vixen sighed and deflated as she dropped her paws and Nick rumbled as he pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her, grinning as Jimmy and Johnny watched with a look of surprise. “

“Skye, go start up the car so we can leave to. Cuss just took off with Cat and we need to get this place locked up before we can go home.”

Skye groaned as she leaned away and slipped out of the chair, both wolves watching her go out the doors before they looked at Nick shaking their heads. “How the hell did you get her to listen to you?”

Nick laughed as Finnick looked at him and he shook his head as the smaller fox opened his mouth, curling his lip as Finnick fell back laughing. “Forget it. I need to talk to both of you quick while she’s not in here.” They both tilted their ears listening as Nick leaned forward, and blinked as they listened, folding their ears back when Nick threw his paws out asking what they thought.

“Damn Nick that’s…a lot to think about.”

Nick shrugged as Finnick jumped down shaking his head and looked out checking on Skye. “We’re a pack right? Might as well make it official.”

Both wolves looked at each other and chuckled as they nodded…

Across the parking lot a phone that was pulled out illuminated the dark area as it rang. “Hello.”

“Sir. It looks like he’s getting ready to leave.”

Adam sighed as he grabbed a piece of cloth and wiped the blood off his paws. “He’s smart enough he didn’t go alone. I don’t think he’s stupid enough to get home that way either. Is he causing problems or at risk of getting into trouble?”

“No. Looks like it was just a bunch of younger foxes having a party. A couple of wolves. Strange to do something like this in the middle of the week.”

“You followed the vixen to find them again?”

“She’s the easiest way to get to wherever he is and keep track of him.” Adam chuckled as he tossed the rag into a trash can. “Just keep an eye on him. Make sure he stays out of trouble Revil. See if you can find where their Den is this time.”

“It has to be somewhere in Happy Town as close as we were to it. I can’t look around much without someone there noticing me.”

“Try again.”

Revil hung up and watched Skye’s car pull from the parking lot before tucking the phone away and following them in a car he kept at a distance. He pulled to the side of the road as Skye stopped a few blocks from their house, watching Nick and Finnick step out of the car and walk to the driver’s side as she got out and stood there grinning.

Skye sighed as Nick pulled her closer and bit her lip. “I’ll see you in a few days. I love you.”

“I love you more.” She moved closer lifting her head to his so their lips were almost touching as he smiled. They were both rumbling and tipping their heads into each other as Nick’s eyes snapped to Finnick when their lips connected.

Finnick groaned as he looked the other way. “Ya all know watchin this shit is cruel and unusual punishment, right? Come on Nick, we only got about an hour and a half before Dad gets up.” Nick chuckled as Skye slid back in her car and they rushed back into the sewers before making their way back to the house. After crawling through the window and making sure their parents were still asleep, Nick took up at the desk after tossing his clothes in the hamper slipping into some pajama pants.

Finnick crawled on the bed yawning. “Go to bed stupid!” He hissed as Nick turned the lamp on and picked up a pen.

“I will before they get up. I have to finish this.”

Finnick sighed as he rolled over and pulled the blankets over his head…


	7. Lost Stars

**Lost Stars***

Alesso; Heroes (We Could Be) Ft. Tove Lo

Nicholas was sitting with Rose the next morning after explaining everything that was happening with the Grid and Weaselton. The vixen was shaking her head at the floor when Nick and Finnick came downstairs for breakfast. She left the table and was grabbing things she’d cooked, laughing as Finnick started piling things on a plate as tall as he was. Nicholas chuckled as the smaller fox looked around, shrugged as he started stuffing things in his mouth. She sat a plate in front of Nick and he looked up grinning seeing the blueberries in his pancakes spell out happy birthday.

Rose sat back at the table as Nicholas looked between both boys. “I may not be here later. Do you have plans today?”

Nick and Finnick looked at each other and the young red fox sighed. “Dummy wants me to go with him to the Lunar’s and Skye’s coming over later. She’s going with me to get the results from my test. He sent me a message last night. Either way we want to go to the den later tonight.”

Nicholas looked at Rose and she shrugged as Nick looked at the floor. “I’ll let you go both tonight since you postponed the party because of the test. You aren’t doing the pawpsicles today?”

Finnick watched him chew his lip and Nick sighed. “Not today. I didn’t think I’d hear back from him so soon. I thought it would take longer for him to grade. I figure good or bad, new age, new year, might as well do it all the same day.”

He yawned as Rose raised her brow and paws. “Nicky? Did you sleep alright?”

Finnick laughed. “He was up writing early.”

“Writing?” Nicholas asked. Nick shrugged as Finnick chuckled. Rose reached over and ran a paw along Nick’s jaw as Nicholas chuckled. “Don’t be too long Finnick. Mr. Big’s taken some time out today to take you to the bank with Mom. He’s been busy since Earl went missing.”

Nick set his ears as his parents shifted nervously in their seats. “Are you running it now?” Nick asked and Nicholas looked back at him frowning as he shook his head.

“No, just helping Mr. Big make sure it stays in place. Duke is running it.”

Nick and Finnick looked at each other and shook their heads. “Yeah that’s gonna work real good, he’ll be runnin his mouth to everyone about it.”

Nick chuckled as Finnick jumped down from the chair, watching him trying to grab his plate as Rose stood up and grabbed it. She giggled as she stuck it in the sink. Nick stuck the last bite of pancakes in his mouth and handed her his plate. “I’ll be home after I get the results. Skye should be here pretty soon but Finnick wants me to go with him to talk to the Lunar’s first.”

Nicholas stood up and watched them walking to the front door. “Nick?” Nick turned and raised a brow as his father stuck his paws on his hips. He held to front door open as Rose stepped from around the kitchen corner with a box. Finnick chuckled as they came into the living room sitting a large box on the coffee table. It was wrapped in bright red with green ribbons that had birthday motifs all over it. “Just in case I’m not here later. Me and your mother think it’s about time you had this. Happy Birthday kitto.”

Nick stepped around the couch and tore the paper off as Rose chewed her lip nervously. He sat on the couch staring at the box and back at his parents as Finnick started grinning. “You’re giving me this?”

Rose took an uneasy breath as Nick ticked his eyes between his parents and raised her paws. “Nicky, there’s something we want to tell you about it, but it might be easier if you found out through experience rather than us explaining the history behind it. It’s been in our family for eight hundred years and we don’t want people knowing about it, but it is yours. If it chooses you.”

Nick curled his brow and opened the box, shaking his head at the swords and daggers. His father had made a new box for it, with their family crest burnt into the varnished wood. He opened the box running a paw along the blades that had been recently polished to a high sheen, sitting in compartments that held each piece. “Dad, did you make this box?” Nicholas shrugged as he smiled and Nick shook his head, looking at the craftmanship in the sections lined with red velvet and nooks that had been carved out and kept the pieces in place. Even the cape and what appeared to be rags had separate sections that held them in place and made them look as if they were something to behold. On the back of the top, the family crest was in bright colored fabric and the name Wilde was lovingly stitched into the fabric. “Mom? Did you sew all that?” Even though they didn’t get along, he could see the time and attention they’d both put into what they’d given him. Rose giggled as she stepped closer nodding her head. “What do you mean if it chooses me?”

Nicholas folded his ears back as he stuck his paws in his pockets. “It’s difficult to explain, we can all sit down and talk about it later, but right now I think you have something else to take care of.” He smirked as he looked back at the open door. Nick turned, beaming as Skye stood there chewing her lip.

Finnick grinned and Rose curled into Nicholas watching Nick hop over the couch and wrap his arms around her. The young vixen shied her eyes as she pulled a small package from her purse and he chuckled as he took it and tore the paper off. Nick looked at the book and opened the cover, cocking his head to the side as he read all the names written in the front of the book. “This…is supposed to be yours Skye.”

“It is mine.”

“But it’s been in your family since…” He smiled as she shied her eyes again.

Skye shrugged. “Dad said I could do whatever I wanted to with it. I asked. I’ve read it a million times. It’s all the stories about the God of Separation.”

Nicholas curled his brow and shook his head as Nick and Finnick watched their parents look between them shaking their heads. Nick flipped through the pages and was chuckling as everything got stuck in his head. “The God of Separation. That’s what they call Heimdall in Pawlaska because of how day and Night works there. They have months that its completely dark. When the sun finally comes back it hits the snow and makes everything so bright they have a hard time seeing for a while. In their stories he’s not just the God of Mind’s Eye or the God of Lonely Hearts. He’s actually the one who came to Earth after Odin threw the egg and destroyed the darkness growing in the world. Freya asked him to clear it away so it wouldn’t take as long to start over. He blew away all the dust from the world so the sun could let things grow again and separated darkness from light. It was so cold that when the sunlight reflecting from his fur hit the egg, it cracked open and the water inside it flooded the world and started life all over again. The God of Mischief wanted to help, but him and all the other Gods were busy taking care of the treasures in Asgard, so Heimdall came alone. It says he’s the reason there is day and night and the reason the Earth started turning again after Odin destroyed the darkness consuming the world.”

Rose giggled as Nicholas perked a brow. “I might want to borrow that sometime kitto.” Nick and Finnick laughed as Nicholas eyed the book.

Nick sat the book on the back of the couch and pulled Skye into his arms, rumbling against her chest. He stood there wide eyed and Finnick fell over laughing after she licked his nose. A slow smile started spreading over his face and Skye chirped as he wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight enough to lift her feet from the floor. He pressed his head to hers as Finnick grabbed his pant leg. “Come on Nick, I gotta catch the Lunar’s before they leave.” They walked outside as Finnick jumped from the porch. “Hold up Nick.” Nick and Skye were holding paws as she bit her lip and let Finnick get around them before they followed him out of the yard.

Nicholas looked at Rose after they walked to the door and watched them talking to Jimmy and Johnny. Nick and Skye were both leaning into each other, teasing each other by brushing their muzzles against each other, mimicking marking each other without actually putting the scent behind it. Nicholas sighed as he turned, and Rose lifted a brow. “Is it that bad? Has anyone heard anything?”

Nicholas shook his head. “Not a word about where he went or what he was doing. No one has seen him. Duke is…well he’s just young. He just turned eighteen. Mr. Big is having a hard time because the bears aren’t happy about having to put up with his attitude, but they’re keeping everything in order. The Lunar’s and the wolf council know what’s going on and will step in if they need help. Duke does seem to know what he’s doing. It’s just bigger than he thought it would be. He’s not dealing with his family as well as he is taking over what his father was running. He acts just like his Dad, just stands on a corner looking like he’s selling crappy copies of movies when he’s really keeping an eye on everything. Renee and Sabby are both pretty depressed, but Amelia is….” Nicholas shrugged. “She was a Daddy’s girl and she’s acting out pretty bad.” Rose’s ears flipped to her head as Nicholas looked at his watch and sighed. “I’m going to be late if I don’t leave. Kevin should be here in about twenty minutes to pick you guys up. I’m taking care of all the Limo services until Mr. Big has everything settled again.”

Rose dipped under his chin rumbling as he ran his muzzle along her head. She watched him drive away and turned her attention back to the Lunar’s home as Finnick and Nick started bickering, rolling her eyes as she closed the door.

Nick stuck his paws on his hips with his tail swinging as he looked at the van and shook his head. “Why would you buy a car when you aren’t even old enough to drive it and can take the bus? It’s stupid to pay for a car when the bus is cheaper, even if you could drive! Skye doesn’t even drive her car most of the time!”

Finnick curled his lips as Skye giggled. “It’s stupid to have to wait around for the bus when ya can take your own car! Come on Nick! I ain’t askin ya to pay for it, just to put it in your name until I can put it in mine! I can’t get it licensed or anything like that and you can! You already got a permit, and it’s big enough to move all our equipment around in for the band, so…”

Finnick held out a bundle of money and Nick looked at Skye as she smirked and tipped her head back to their house. Nick looked back and rolled his eyes catching her little white car sitting just before their yard and took the money from his brother as Jimmy and Johnny snickered. When Mrs. Lunar stepped out of the house she laughed as Nick held it up shaking his head. She signed the title and exchanged the money with Nick as Finnick started hopping all over the yard _howling_. “I GOT THE VAN! I GOT THE VAN! OOOOOW!” Nick shook his head grinning as Jimmy and Johnny doubled over laughing. Skye giggled as Finnick handed him another few bills and bounced in front of him.

“Yeah,” he groaned as Finnick bit his lip. “I’ll go get it insured and tagged after we get done at the college. Since Skye is with me I think we’ll be able to do it even though I don’t have a real ‘license’ yet.”

Nick stuffed the bills in his pocket and Finnick jumped up screaming happily. “THANKS NICK!” He rushed back to the house as he caught a white limo pulling to the curb.

Nick grabbed Skye’s paw and pulled her with him as she shook her head. “Nick, I brought my car so we could get there faster.”

“I’d rather take the bus. I can’t hold paws with you if they’re on the wheel.” Skye bit her lip and shied her eyes as Nick curled his fingers around hers and walked to the bus station. They slid to the back of the bus and curled into a corner cuddling as the streets started passing by, content in each other and not paying enough attention to see their stop was coming up. Nick jerked his head the front of the bus as the college was announced and pushed Skye from the seat chuckling as she clung to his arm. As he got to the doors the pig behind the wheel looked them over shaking his head as he stuck the bus passes in to be punched. Nick’s ears pulled back as they stepped off the bus, watching the pig looking at Skye as she cuddled against his chest. The pig grabbed the handle before he slammed the doors closed and Nick sighed as they started walking to the doors.

After getting down a hallway, Nick looked into the room watching a large tiger riffle through some papers behind a desk. His shoulders scrunched up as Skye grabbed his paw and rushed her head under his chin rumbling. “He’s a nice guy. I’ve talked to him a few times on the computer or the phone. I just…”

“Tigers make you nervous. I know why.”

Nick sighed as he looked down at her and shrugged. “I’ll be right back.” She nodded and took a seat outside as the tiger stood up and extended a paw, watching Nick smile as the large feline chuckled and closed the door. She couldn’t hear what was being said as the instructor retook his seat and shook his head as he handed Nick the paper. She frowned watching Nick’s ears tip back and let her head fall as the young red fox pulled his shoulders into his cheeks when the tiger sat there shaking his head. It almost looked like the lager predator was chastising him before he chuckled and threw his paws up laughing. Nick’s ears perked as he looked back at the instructor and he shook his paw before stepping out of the room and closing the door. He stayed silent as they walked back outside, and Skye kept ticking her eyes to the paper he’d shoved in his shirt pocket when she finally stepped in front of him with an understanding smile. “You still have all your credits Nick. Can you just take the capstone class again?”

Nick sighed as he pulled the paper from his pocket and shook his head. Her ears flipped back as he opened it. “I can’t.” He bit his lip frowning and flipped it over, chuckling as her jaw fell. “I passed.”

“You passed!” She squealed and he chuckled as she jumped up wrapping her arms around his neck. “I thought you failed!”

Nick hugged her back, and pulled the paper from around her back letting her snatch it. “Well, it’s a D -, the lowest passing grade I ever got. He said since I had such high grades and I tried a second time when he knew it bothered me so much he may have skipped a few points. He was griping it was sloppy like I was having a hard time with the subject again, but it was a good effort and I did all the things required, it just wasn’t well written.” Skye laughed as he curled around her rumbling. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Skye laughed as she hopped up and down still holding him. “I’m with a college grad!”

“Yeah.” Nick chuckled as he stuffed it back in his pocket and sighed. “A bachelor’s degree in business. It should help with the pawpsicle sales. We should go to the DMV before lunch. We’re going to be there forever. I heard all of them are sloths.”

“Ugh…” Skye groaned as he laughed and started back to the bus stop. “So how did you get to graduate in November when everyone else is doing it in May?”

“Oh,” Nick snickered as they got on the bus and took seats. “The last semester most of the classes put all the assignments up at the beginning of the classes. I had them done in a week. They can’t do that anymore because they said the students who could finish them wouldn’t be interacting with the class through the other assignments. I sort of skipped them and Mom asked if I could go ahead and start the next ones so I wasn’t bored.” Skye giggled and rolled her eyes as Nick shrugged.

After making several transfers they found themselves cringing as they stood in a line behind mammals who were impatiently tapping their feet, groaning, and grumbling as they bit their tongues. Nick perked his ears as another window opened and nudged Skye. He stepped to the window as he was slowly waved over, ignoring the dirty looks he was getting from the people in the line in front of him. Nick smiled as Skye cocked her head, staring as the sloth spoke in a voice that would grind most people’s last nerve. By the time he’d finished going over the papers and filling everything out for the van, Skye had to sign some things because she had a real license and Nick was still chatting with the sloth at the window. She tugged at his arm trying to get him to leave as he laughed. “Hang on Skye, this guy is hilarious! He let me call someone and told me how to set up the insurance on the van so we could get this done today! His name is Flash. Look, he’s a million times faster than everyone else here! I think I’m gonna call him Flash the hundred Yard Dash!”

Skye looked back at the line they’d left and let her face fall watching the mammals that had been standing in front of them in the other line glaring at her and Nick as he laughed at another slow agonizing joke. “What…do...you…call…a… pig…in… dirty-

“Nick,” Skye muttered as she tugged his arm and leaned closer watching several other customers fighting not to show their teeth at them. “We need to go meet Finnick.”

Nick groaned as he looked back at Flash. “Hey Buddy, think I can come back and see you again so you can finish that joke? I bet I can pick up a few you’d like. Maybe exchange some next time?”

“Sure…Nick.”

Nick chuckled as he looked at Skye and shrugged. “We have a date and she’s in a hurry.” Flash laughed slowly, bobbing his head and winking as Skye dragged him out the door. He groaned again as he frowned. “Why are you in such a hurry? The guy’s funny and,” Skye threw her paws out shaking her head and Nick looked around cringing. “It’s after five? It’s almost dark.”

“I KNOW!” Skye screamed. “By the time we get back to your house with the buses and pick up my car, then get to the den to meet Finnick – it will be after ten!”

He chuckled as he wrapped his paws around her and leaned closer as her lips tried to pull over her teeth. “That just means I get to cuddle up with you longer on the trip.” Skye’s ears tipped back and flushed as Nick pulled her closer and wrapped his fingers around hers as they walked back to the bus station…

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Nicholas picked up the phone in the office grabbing a pen again. “Arctic Tundra Limo services, how may help you?”

He’d stuck the pen on the paper expecting another order from a customer and looked up with his cheek curling uncomfortably as Renee screamed over the phone. “AMELIE IS MISSING! WE CAN’T FIND HER ANYWHERE! I’VE CALLED ALL HER FRIENDS AND NO ONE HAS SEEN HER!”

“Calm down, are you sure she isn’t somewhere at the Bigs?”

“Nowhere, and we just finished looking around our house! I thought she may have come back looking for Earl. One of her bags is missing and a few of her clothes too!”

“I’ll be there as soon as I have Kevin take over the phones. I can ask the Lunar’s to come help. Have you talked to Duke or Mr. Big yet?”

“No! I couldn’t find or get ahold of Mr. Big and Duke already has his paws full!”

Nicholas sighed as he laid the pen down and grabbed his jacket. “Mr. Big went out with Raymond to help Duke and Boris because he was having a problem in the Marshland District. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” He hung up and looked across the room as Kevin dipped his head. Nicholas watched him grab the phone as it rang and walked out to a car, taking a seat as he typed a message to Rose. “Problems in Marshlands and Earl’s daughter is missing. I’ll let you know what’s going on. Are the boys home yet?”

He watched the message flash about her typing and leaned back grinning as he read the text she’d sent.

“Skye said Nick passed his final paper! They just left the college and are coming to pick up her car, but the buses make a million stops. Finnick is still at the Lunar’s. He came home for dinner and took off with his drums again. I don’t expect to see them again tonight until they get back from the Den. How old is Amelia? Do they think something happened to her?”

Nicholas chuckled as he text back . “No, she’s thirteen and has lot of friends. Renee’s just freaked out because they can’t find her. She probably just doesn’t want to be found and needed some time to herself. Tell Nick I’m proud of him if you see him before I do.”

He stuck his phone in his pocket letting his chest puff out as he passed a bus station in Tundra town, chuckling at the thought of his son being a college graduate. He stopped in a small lot and typed a message, waiting for Jasper to answer him as he pulled back to the entrance that led to Weaselton’s district. “Think you can come help find a lost kit? Its Earl’s daughter. Mr. Big and the bears are busy running the Grid with Duke. Kevin took over the Limo service and I could use a paw, maybe a better nose than mine will get her home faster?”

“Will be there. Need more than me?”

“No. I’m sure one good nose can find her. She’s been upset since her father went missing and I suspect she’s just hiding somewhere so she can be alone. Sending you the address.” He typed in the address and pulled away from the lot, driving to Weaselton’s house.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well it wasn’t after ten by the time Nick and Skye got to the den- It was after eleven. Getting to the Jungle took forever as everyone stopped and told him Happy Birthday. Skye was almost growling as Finnick stood in front of the metal doors that led to the area the younger foxes learned how to move around in the city. Nick shrugged as Finnick curled his lips over his gums. “Ya got any idea how hard it was to pull all this shit together without you helpin?!”

Nick leaned forward and plucked something from the back of his shirt, waving the papers for the title of the van in his face. “Do you have any idea how uncomfortable it was having the tags to your van hidden under my shirt against my back, riding the busses all over Zootopia?” Finnick snatched them grinning as Nick stood up and chuckled. “They’re in Skye’s car, you can get them after we’re done.” He slid past the door and tipped his head at Berk before they were gone around the corners of makeshift buildings. The older multicolored fox narrowed his eyes and retook his stance after the doors closed, wondering what all the fuss had been about as several younger foxes pulled his attention away from his post earlier.

The vixen’s of the council were talking to several foxes and everyone in the den stopped and perked their ears as a rhythmic pattern hit their ears, turning where they sat or stood to face the doors Berkley was now gaping at. He jarred the handles and growled as they refused to budge, stepping back scratching his head. Madge narrowed her eyes as she stepped down from the rounded section where they held conference and walked through the crowd with the other vixens from the council, shaking her head as Berkley tried to wrestle the doors open again. The older vixen squared her shoulders as she looked back and found Jared shaking his head. “Go get Andrew, Roland, and James. I want these doors open now.” He dipped his head and disappeared through the crowd as Madge looked back at the doors and curled her lips.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nicholas was pacing back and forth as Jasper turned his head. They’d found Earls daughter. Renee and Sabby were a wreck. After Duke had arrived he’d screamed at both of them for hours. “SHE WAS RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YA’S AND YA’S DIDN’T SEE HER!? ALL YA’S HAD TO DO WAS LOOK IN THE ONE PLACE YA’S KNEW SHE WOULDA BEEN! RIGHT THERE IN DAD’S OFFICE! AN HOW THE HELL DID SHE GET AHOLD A THAT SHIT!”

Both females were bawling as Nicholas stepped in and grabbed his shoulder, watching a few bears that had come shake their heads. “Duke, you aren’t helping.” Duke simply took a seat and hung his head, burying his paws in his face as he sat in another area away from everyone else. Mr. Big kept the bears in place around the Grid as word spread the Weaselton family was falling apart. Nicholas approached Jasper and sighed as the wolf’s phone went off. Jasper looked back at the silver fox and cringed as Nicholas looked over the video and shook his head. He tried to call Rose several times but her line was tied up, which he couldn’t understand because she didn’t actually speak to anyone on the phone.

That was because she was currently gaping at her phone. Each time one message stopped another would come in. Gluing her to the screen as another video from one of the vixens on the council took over. Her ears folded back as she managed to send one message. Nicholas’ phone was busy, because he’d been trying to call her at the same time she was sending something to Jasper. The wolf leaned over whispering and Nicholas shot up with his lips pulling over his teeth as he shoved his phone in his pocket and left, with the wolf crawling in the limo beside him. He was white knuckling the steering wheel as they drove to the Den. Jasper watched curiously as Nicholas led him through the bowels of the restaurant, tipping his ears as the foxes running the place watched with their jaws hanging open. As he stepped to Berkley with a large wolf, the Sechuran fox looked up at Jasper and back to Nicholas curling his lip. Nicholas dropped his head and the smaller fox bowed his and turned his eyes as they walked into the Jungle. He shook his head as Madge turned where she stood, not giving the wolf a second glance as Nicholas walked through the crowd that had poured into the Jungle. Madge kept Jasper at her side already knowing who he was, but no one was paying attention to him as they couldn’t believe what was going on in front of them. Nicholas glanced around, shaking his head at all the foxes who stood in shock.

While the younger foxes were amused by all this, the older foxes were horrified. It wasn’t a massive thing that was happening, but in terms of foxes; It may as well have been like lightning hitting the same spot consecutively for a year. Nick was sitting on a stool in front of everyone plucking at a guitar. Finnick had perched behind a set of drums, and two hooded figures at the back of the gathering were keeping themselves covered while they screwed around with little synthesizers and smaller instruments. No one was playing at this point but Nick, so Nicholas had no idea what had happened already. But he ground his teeth together watching several younger vixen’s backing away uncomfortably as the older foxes tried not to show their teeth. Skye was standing at the edge of the group, her jaw hanging as Nick sang the last of what he’d written the night before.

“I’m Skye diving. Falling into those blue eyes that leave me frozen when she gone. Skye diving, never feel alone when I fall into her arms. Skye diving-

He didn’t get to finish the verse as she jumped forward grabbing him. He almost dropped his guitar and caught his footing laughing as she pressed her head under his chin rumbling. Nicholas growled as he stepped through the crowd shaking his head. Nick looked up at him smirking as he tried to control his breathing. He walked to the back and yanked the hoods down, all the foxes gasping and leaning away as two young wolves held up a paw and waved nervously. It was unheard of to bring another species into a fox den or allow others to know where it was located, regardless of anything else. Nicholas had made it clear when he’d taken over; only the council leaders were to know this information and those in the den who knew of all the facts were sworn to secrecy. Yet here his sons had brought two outsiders of a different species inside, somehow managing to do it right under their noses along with a bunch of instruments. He looked back at Berkley and the small fox shook his head and turned as Nicholas snapped his attention back to his oldest son and snarled. “What the HELL do you think you’re doing!?”

Nick shrugged. “There’s no rule about not bringing them in here. I didn’t tell them where it was. I’m doing what you already should have done. You’re the King. We’re a pack. There’s no reason for that to be a secret.”

The younger foxes in the den perked their ears as Nicholas heaved and shook his head, pointing behind the vixens from the council. “Jimmy and Johnny- move your tails now.” Both young wolves flipped their ears back and tried to grab their things as Nicholas snarled again. “LEAVE IT.” Most of the foxes in the den gawked as they left their instruments and slid past the older fox with their tails tucked up, gaping as Jasper stood to his height, folding his arms over his chest. “Jasper, is it going to be a problem with them knowing where the den is?” Jasper looked at his sons and curled his lips over his teeth and they both shrank before he looked back shaking his head. Nicholas sighed as he stuck his paws on his hips and tipped his head back to the doors as his tail swished a few times. “Roland. Take them back out.” Roland dipped his head as Madge and the vixen’s from the council looked back at Nick frowning.

Finnick gave Nick a nasty glare as he smirked and sighed out; “What the fuck Nick? I thought this was just to impress her!”

“Two birds, one stone.” Nick signed back and shrugged as Skye looked up at him blinking.

“Your dad is the king? You’re a real… Prince?”

The young red fox smiled again as Skye’s face fell. “I still hate being called that.” He pressed his head to hers, watching Nicholas and the older vixens from the corner of his eye.

“What would you like us to do Nicholas?” Madge asked as Jasper bowed his head and turned, following Roland with both young wolf cubs cringing as their father growled.

Nicholas looked around shaking his head. “Nothing. Now that all the foxes know, you can explain how that works, it won’t change anything else here and everything will stay the same. Since my son has pointed out there is no specific rule about bringing some other species down here - enact something. No one is to bring another animal of any species into a fox Den unless I have approved it for some reason.”

Madge bowed and the foxes stared as the vixen’s followed her lead. “Don’t do that!” Nicholas sighed as the older vixen stood and smirked, before dipping her head as she turned leading the other council members from the Jungle. He turned looking back at Nick and Finnick, curling his lip as Nick smirked. Skye dipped her ears back and hid behind Nick’s shoulder as Finnick looked away with his ears plastered to his head. “The rest of you find your parents if you’re underage. The Jungle is closed until further notice.”

The younger foxes found their way to their parents or the parents found them. As soon as Berkley closed the doors shaking his head, Nicholas turned back watching Finnick turn his eyes in shame as Nick stood there grinning. He sighed and shook his head, chewing his lip as Nick straightened his back. “I let you come here even though you’re both grounded, just because you postponed your birthday party Nick. You don’t advertise who you’re with Boy, or tell everyone who you are. That’s how you keep the people you love safe and how you stay safe. Are you happy now?”

“Yep!” Nick chirped as Nicholas stuck one paw on his hip and rubbed his forehead.

Skye dipped her head behind Nick’s shoulder as their father glared between them. “Go home. We’ll discuss this after I get everything else settled. You are not to leave the house once you get there. We need to have a long conversation. You’re going to explain to me how you managed to get two wolves and everything else in here without anyone noticing. I’ll figure out some way to get this stuff moved without it being seen through the diner. I still have to drop off the limo and pick up my car before I come home and I need to call your mother. You’ll probably beat me there so you can tell her I’ll just talk to her when I get home.”

Nick shrugged as Nicholas walked to the door, watching him talking to Berkley as he kept rubbing his forehead. Finnick stepped closer to Nick growling and Skye cringed as Nick looked down at him shaking his head. “That was a dick move Nick.”

“Come on Finnick! Everyone’s gonna know anyway! I just don’t get why he wants it to be a big secret! All the councils have to know if the Lunar’s are involved, so why does it matter?”

Finnick scowled up at him as Skye chewed her cheek. “Hey stupid - maybe that’s why. Maybe Mr. Big don’t know. Ya got any brains in there? He wasn’t even screamin and don’t wanna talk to Mom yet. He was too upset to do that cause he’s worried.”

Nick curled his lip looking back at the doors as Berkley watched Nicholas walk away shaking his head. The multicolored fox looked back at the young red fox and shook his head as he retook his stance at the doors and fell back into an emotionless flat. He didn’t even look at them as they passed him, and the foxes still in the den seemed to have forgotten about it as they left through the tunnel that would take them to a back entrance out of the diner. Skye was staying quiet as Nick let Finnick crawl into her back seat. Nick plopped in the passenger seat as she dug around in her purse searching for her keys. “Do you think I screwed up?” He asked Skye as she stuck the keys in the ignition.

She dipped her ears back and looked at him biting her lip. “How did you guys get them in there without anyone seeing?”

Nick sighed as he looked out the window. “We found a few other ways to get in no one else knows about. There’s one that leads right to the doors. The walls around the Den are hollow. One comes out right above the Jungle and was big enough to move everything through. Finnick thinks there are others too.”

Skye looked at him shaking her head as Nick shrugged. She glanced into the back seat watching the small fox sigh and shake his head. “I ain’t lookin for anymore and I think I’m gonna tell Dad so they can be blocked off.”

“How did you find them?”

Nick chuckled as he looked into the back seat. “Technically I did. He’s fascinated with the doors. Swears up and down they’re some kind of puzzle he hasn’t figured out yet. He wouldn’t shut up about it so I started looking around and crawled up the wall one day after everybody left. I found a small opening when one of the rocks I grabbed fell. After I looked in and saw how big it was I crawled in there and started walking around.”

“Why do you think the doors are a puzzle? They’re just …doors.”

Nick snickered as Finnick folded his arms over his chest and shook his head. “Screw you Nick. I’m tellin you there’s somethin else there.”

“Yeah, an invisible picture you can’t see.” Nick laughed and Finnick growled. Skye shook her head looking back at the smaller fox and raised her brows. Finnick sighed. “Every time the pieces move and shift around I get this thing in my head. It’s almost like I can see somethin that should be there but ain’t. I don’t know how to explain it. Its… I can almost see it, but as soon as the pieces stop movin and make a solid picture its gone again.”

Skye sighed as she looked at Nick. “It’s big enough to walk around in though?” She asked as Finnick started laughing.

“Yes.” Nick chuckled as he looked into the back seat again. “It’s weird though. Kind of like a maze of some kind. I think it was some kind of reinforcement for the den because it’s made of solid stones. Not like the sandstone that’s all around the place. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t meant to be used as anything other than some kind of reinforcement.”

“Why?” Skye asked as she looked between them.

Finnick laughed as Nick rolled his eyes. “Finnick can walk around in there, I have to lean over. I’m too tall. The walls go up as high as the Den ceiling, but they’re in layers. I don’t think foxes would have built the place to be used as anything other than a reinforcement if it’s not big enough for them to walk through.”

“Maybe they were just shorter foxes.”

Nick and Finnick laughed as Skye turned the key. “I’m not even sure you could walk through there Skye. A bunny wouldn’t be able to do it without keeping their ears down.”

Skye looked at them as the ignition clicked and Finnick leaned between the front seats raising a brow. “Turn it again.” Skye turned the key and it clicked again before it rolled into a constant clicking and stopped. “Pop the hood.” The vixen looked around with a frown as Finnick rolled his eyes. “You’re dad works on planes and I’ve watched you pull them motors apart like they’re Lego’s, but ya don’t know how to open the hood on your own car?”

“This isn’t an airplane! Dad takes care of the cars.” Skye folded her arms over her chest pouting as Nick chuckled.

“I don’t know anything about them either Skye.” She looked at Nick grinning as he scrunched his nose.

Finnick shook his head as he jumped between the seats and Nick was laughing as she started yelling at him. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” She grabbed her skirt and pulled it over her knees as he slid between the steering wheel under her feet. Finnick looked up at her and rolled his eyes. “Openin the hood. Sounds like the battery’s dead but I gotta look. Hold still….” Skye growled as she pulled her feet up and Finnick looked up groaning. “No wonder ya don’t know where it is. The lever for the hood’s broken off, I gotta grab the wire with some pliers to get it open. Ya got jumper cables and pliers in here?”

“The jumper cables are in the trunk.” Skye reached into the back seat and dug through the pocket on the back of Nick’s seat before handing Finnick the pliers and jerked as he slammed back into the bottom of her seat, growling. 

The hood popped and Nick was chuckling as Finnick looked up at him growling. “Shut up. Ya got any idea how much of a pain in the ass it is tryin to do any of this shit at my size?” Nick acted like he was pulling a zipper over his lips as Finnick popped Skye’s door. “Grab the cables from the trunk. I’m gonna go ask Shirly if she can give us a jump.” Nick and Skye gathered the jumper cables and walked around the car as a waitress with a long curly string of fur hanging from her head came out, followed by Finnick. He jumped on the bumper of Skye’s car and wrestled with the lever that opened the hood, looking back at Nick narrowing his eyes as he snickered. “Get over here and lift this thing. Shirley’s gonna pull up beside us. There’s a bar in there that’ll hold the hood open.”

Nick stepped closer and pulled the hood open and Skye grabbed the support for the hood, placing it in the slot and sticking her tongue out at Finnick as he lifted a brow. He chuckled as Shirly parked her car next to Skye’s and stepped out lifting her hood. The older vixen connected the cables and Skye got back in turning the car over as Finnick adjusted the teeth on the battery of her car. It started up on the first try, but as soon as he took the cables off it died again. The small fox curled his lip as Shirly looked at him and shrugged. He reattached the jumper cables and yelled at Skye, letting it sit for a few minutes before he unhooked them again. The car stayed running after he removed the cables again, but he was shaking his head as it started idling slower until it died again. Skye stepped out biting her claws as Nick looked at the motor like it was speaking Japanese. Finick repeated the process and removed the battery cables from the battery, shaking his head as the car died each time. “Your alternator’s fried. It’s just gonna pull all the juice from the battery when the cars runnin and keep dyin until ya get it replaced. It ain’t gonna run for more than a minute or two at a time. Even if we could charge the battery back up here, there ain’t no guarantee it would get any of us home.”

“Great.” Skye growled as she threw her paws up.

Shirly looked back at the diner as the lights started going out and sighed. “I can take one of you, but my car’s not big enough for all of you.”

Nick chuckled as he looked at the tiny car with two bucket seats. “We can take the bus Shirly. There’s one running in about ten minutes. Thanks for helping anyway.” The older vixen left them as Skye locked up her car and sent a message to her father, while Nick locked up her car. Finnick sent a message to Rose before they started walking to the bus station. They stood around talking until the bus pulled up and walked to the back after the doors swung open, still laughing as the last other person got off at the next stop. Skye looked up and grabbed Nicks paw, pulling his attention up as her face fell. “Nick…where are we?”

Nick looked around and shook his head as Finnick jumped on a seat curling his lip. The bus came to a sudden stop and they glanced at each other with their hearts pounding as the driver stood from his seat and turned, growling….

**Notes; The gods were busy taking care of the ‘treasure’ in Asgard when Heimdall blew away all the dust from the world because they were caring for the thousands of children Loki had with the Lady of the Cliffs. (The Treasure; the angels; vampires; bats - they also started the wars in Asgard and may have accelerated their demise for giving them their time, energy, and life force)**

**Nick has a habit of giving people who make an impression on him something similar to a fox name. A nickname. (Vallerie and Maiden. Flash Flash Hundred Yard Dash.)**

**It’s the year 2003/2004 at this point in Nick’s life. The first photos and videos that were sent via cell phone came out in 2002. Not entirely sure when the first video was sent as it seems to be a blurry fact when searched for, but you get the point. Things are evolving – It’s not always pretty and at times it can be very painful –**

**If you think some of the other things I’ve written were dark, you ain’t seen nothin yet…. But you’ve been warned because this is about to become blacker than a million fathoms under the sea in my book. It will give an in-depth insight into how Nick thinks and leave a deep impression of how things that happens in the future, are infinitely linked to someone’s past-**

**In most stories I’ve read, Nick is this perfect guy who doesn’t have an issue about species crossing lines. He doesn’t have a problem being with Judy even though they are what society considers polar opposites, even when a lot of the time they have to hide their relationship. He’s not perfect, he’s _‘human’_ and at this point he’s also very young and impressionable. What the world sees as blatant speciesism may not be what it seems and could stem from something much more traumatic. The way someone thinks and how they act about certain things are a direct result of their environments and personal experiences. The next chapter was harder than hell to write and I don’t expect it to be any easier to read….**


	8. Knights In Shining Armor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING- DARK-

**Knights In Shining Armor***

Five For Fighting; Superman (It’s Not Easy)

“LAST STOP!”

Nick looked up and curled his lip at the dark street they were on and shook his head as he stood up and stepped into the aisle with Skye. “This bus is supposed to take us to Happy Town, the last stop isn’t even in this district! Where are we?!”

The driver, a dingy looking pig Nick recognized as soon as he lifted his head from under his hat stood up and stepped away from the front doors, pulled a fox taser, along with a small red bottle and growled. “You freaks get off my bus now.” Finnick jumped from the seat and backed up as Nick stuck an arm in front of Skye and pressed her back towards the back of the bus. They all jumped as the back doors opened.

“YOU CAN’T JUST LEAVE US HERE! WE DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE WE ARE! THIS ISN’T EVEN A STOP!” Skye was screaming as she shoved past Nick and growled. The pig snorted as she stepped closer, with Nick pulling at her arms as Finnick tugged on her legs.

“FILTHY FOXES!” He growled as he sprayed the mace he was holding up. Skye screamed as it hit her straight in the face and Nick was gasping as he pulled her out the back doors. Finnick fell out of the back of the bus with her purse in his paws, trying to escape the taser that started flashing. Nick dragged Skye behind a building trying to get his lungs to stop burning and Finnick crawled out of the road dragging her purse with him as the bus pulled away.

“Skye.” Nick looked around through blurry eyes as she kept screaming and pulled her closer trying to hide her in his chest. “You have to stop screaming and try to stay quiet! We don’t know where we are! ... damn it..” He curled a paw around her muzzle and planted his lips against hers as she kept huffing. As soon as she curled her arms around him, he ran his muzzle along both sides of her face trying to pull what he could from her face with his fur.

Finnick hacked as he fell beside Nick and rubbed his eyes. “I didn’t even get hit with that shit and my eyes are on fire.”

Nick hissed as the burning intensified and tried not to rub his eyes. He grabbed Skye’s paws as she pulled them from around him. “Don’t rub it, you’ll make it worse. I can’t see very much. Everything is blurry. We need some water.”

“Well there ain’t no one around here to ask Nick.”

“My p-purse. There’s some in my purse!”

“I think it’s still on the bus Skye.” Nick whispered as he blinked, trying to get his eyes to focus as she tried to keep herself from making any more noise.

“I got it.” Finnick said as Nick felt around blindly until the smaller fox grabbed his paw. “Hang on Nick. This things almost as big as I am.” Nick pulled Skye closer as she whimpered and kept his ears flipping back and forth as he fought not to hiss. “Here, hold your paw out Nick.”

Nick was still trying to blink as he held a paw out and felt Finnick grab one of his fingers before a water bottle landed in his paw. “Finnick, look around. See if there’s somewhere we can hide around here. Call Dad.”

Finnick started looking around as he pulled his phone out and cursed. “It’s smashed to hell. Musta landed on it when I fell outta the bus.”

Nick clamped his eyes as he moved his other paw, feeling Skye’s face. “Mines in my pocket. I think Skye’s is in her purse.” He felt Finnick grabbing his shirt and his phone before he was trying to lean closer to her. “Hold still Skye, I’m going to pour this over your eyes.” Skye sucked in a breath as the water poured over her muzzle and eyes. She tried not to flinch and Nick tried to keep the bottle in a position rested against her nose where she could feel him tilting it, but neither of them could see.

By the time he’d emptied the bottle she was whining against his chest as he tried to clear his eyes again. Finnick tapped Nick’s finger and he turned his head the same direction as the small fox kept his voice low. “Neither one of your phone’s got no signal. We gotta be in some kinda dead zone cause nothin I tried will pick up anything. I found a small vent we can get into that leads into some kind of basement. Looks like it’s been empty for a while and part of it collapsed, but you’re gonna have to squeeze into it Nick.

Nick tried to blink nodded. “It’s better than being out here in the open like this.”

“Give me your paw and I’ll lead ya to it.”

Nick held is paw out, standing with Skye clutching him and was leaning as Finnick led them several steps and tugged. He almost tripped as Skye’s feet knocked into his. Finnick kept a grip on Nick’s fingers until he was feeling around an old metal flap that had jagged edges around the sides. The young red fox curled his lip as the sharp edges pinched into his skin. “I can go in first and lead ya both so ya don’t get cut. I already tossed her purse in the opening.”

Nick nodded as he heard Finnick crawl into the space and flipped his ears back and forth as him and Skye got to their knees. The vixen whined as he held her paw up to the edges. “Finnick’s going to help you get in there and I’ll make sure the edges stay back. I’ll be right behind you.”

Skye almost jumped as Finnick grabbed her pinky. Nick held the sharp edges under his paws as she crawled through and clamped his teeth and eyes as they bit into his fingers. He puffed out a breath as her feet slipped in and let go, listening to Finnick telling her which way to go and how to move. Skye fell into the space and yelped, sending Nick into panic. “Finnick?”

“She’s fine, just stumbled. I’m coming back. Keep your paw up where I can reach it.” Nick sighed and listened as Finnick crawled through the space. When he grabbed his fingers, he dipped his head into the space and slowly pulled his shoulders in when Finnick warned him about problems. “Tilt to the right, there’s a piece on the side that’s sharp.” Finnick let his feet dangle before dropping.

Nick grabbed the opening with both paws and pulled himself, grunting as his whiskers tapped the sides and pulled his shoulders together. “I won’t fit. If I try I’m going to get stuck.”

Finnick looked back in as Nick’s head lowered, and sighed. “How far are you?”

Nick shook his head. “I think my tail is still out there. Hang on, I’ll try to-” He was grunting again as he backed up and lifted his tail. After twisting around he felt the little metal flap at the entrance tap against the little box it was covering. “Not comfortable but out of sight.” He scooted as close to the opening as he could get, until his shoulders started aching and let one arm dangle inside.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

Revil held up the phone shaking his head as the line picked up. “Sir, he’s in some trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” Adam’s ears perked as he stood from the chair.

“Him and the other two foxes he’s with got thrown off a bus. Looks like the guy just had a problem with foxes.”

“Can you get to him without being seen?”

“I think they got maced. They’re hiding and crawled into some kind of … I’m not sure what it is.”

“Where is he?!”

“I’m on the corner of Tejandla and Brandenia St. In District one, outside the Sahara’s.”

Adam growled as he stepped away from his desk and looked over the city maps on the walls. “Your in the crowned district.”

“The what?”

“It’s what the other mammals call that area. The richest of the rich live there. They wouldn’t waste their time spitting on a fox or anyone who isn’t wearing a suit made of pure silk. Don’t lose sight of him. It’s unlikely anyone will notice them at all. Make sure they don’t see you and if they haven’t gotten out of there in a few hours call me so I can arrange something that looks random.” Revil looked back down the alley and left his car, taking to the rooftops trying to get closer and keep an eye on things. All he could see was the end of a tail disappear as he found a place to watch and settled in, shaking his head at the lack of street signs, lights and the way the area they were in seemed to be secluded and hidden from almost everything around the area…

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

“You can’t get in here?” Skye asked sniffling as Finnick looked back at her and pinned his ears back.

“Give me your paw Skye.” Finnick grabbed her finger and pulled her up the little slope towards the entrance. Nick grabbed her paw as she leaned against the pile of dirt. Him and Finnick were both grinning as she pulled it to her face and sighed as she squeezed his fingers.

Nick squeezed back and let his head rest against the metal box he’d crawled into. “Try to get some sleep Skye. We’ll get out of here in the morning and figure out where we are.” Finnick crawled over the dirt and fell, blinking as Skye caught him and pulled him closer. The small fox looked up catching Nick smirking and rolled his eyes as he settled next to her. Nick nodded off as Finnick and Skye fell asleep, but in the position he was in, he kept waking up and readjusting his body, fighting the fact that his arm was hanging out the edge and had gone numb before it was tingling enough that he was gritting his teeth.

His ears set as he heard voices, and turned trying to make out what they were saying over Finnick snoring. “Finnick…Finnick!”

“Hu?” He answered in a voice laced with yawning.

“Listen.”

The smaller fox tipped his head and stood up, tilting his ears back and forth as the voices started getting closer. “Crawl back out there and see if-

Nick’s eyes widened as they both caught someone growling. “He didn’t leave any foxes here!”

“Maybe they’re still around and we missed them. It’s worth looking if there was a vixen with them. He’s never brought anyone here we didn’t find before.”

Nick looked at Finnick as both their ears pulled back. They looked at Skye as she stirred and the smaller fox quickly took the same position next to her, letting her curl around him again as she kept a tight grip on Nick’s paw. She settled with a deep breath and Nick watched Finnick training his ears as the mammals kept talking.

“He’s never brought foxes before. They’re almost impossible to catch.”

“Why do you think we’re looking? Talon knows he could make a fortune with a vixen, and Hampton said they weren’t the same species of foxes. It wouldn’t be as hard for her to adjust to being with another species if she doesn’t care. As long as she’s not mated yet whoever bought her would be thrilled and pay out the ass.”

Nick curled his eyes as he forgot how to swallow. “What are we going to do with the tods?”

Finnick leaned forward curling his lip as they heard a heavy sigh. “Nothing I don’t guess. No one would believe them if they said anything because of where we are.”

“He doesn’t want to keep them? We get more for the males.”

“Not foxes. Tods usually don’t live for more than a few days after someone picks them up, regardless of why they want them and the customers complained about it too much. Vixens don’t if they’ve been mated. They can last up to five years if they haven’t. It’s why they’re so expensive. Sensitive mammals. He hasn’t been able to catch one for years.”

Nick’s vision was still blurry, but he looked down and saw Finnick pinning his ears back as they locked eyes. They both ticked their eyes between each other and Skye as Nick felt his throat close. His eyes glossed over with his lips curling up so far that his teeth were showing as he fought off the hissing, wishing he could cry and knowing he needed to stay quiet. He looked at Skye as he pulled his lips together and Finnick plastered his ears to his head as they locked eyes again. Nick curled his brow down and Finnick turned his head as he sucked in a breath and closed his eyes, already knowing what his brother was thinking. A lion kissed a deer, even foxes who weren’t the same would always be singled out for being with another species and end up worse off than if they’d …..

The tears washed away the sting that remained from the mace as another kind of pain tore through Nick’s soul and shattered the dream he’d been building in his heart…..

Finnick startled as Nick yelped and jerked his arms up, grabbing the inside of what had once been some kind of ventilation shaft. Skye jolted awake and grabbed his paw as he was pulled far enough that his fingers were all that had a grip on anything. “NICK!” She’d grabbed his wrists and Finnick was pulling on her sleeves trying to keep help her keep him from getting dragged out by the tail.

“STAY IN HERE!” He screamed and managed to curl his lips angrily as Skye kept tugging.

“NO!” She snarled as she kept grabbing at his paws, almost being pulled into the shaft.

He managed to kick his feet enough that his claws grabbed something and pulled himself forward enough to grab the inside and pull himself closer. His brow curled and he exposed his teeth snapping at her. “You gave your word! Don’t do anything unless I tell you to! Stay in here! Stay with her!”

Skye fell back as he was yanked hard enough that Nick rolled over to his back and was gone. She fell back screaming as Finnick was thrown into her chest. They heard Nick yelp several times as someone started screaming as everything fell silent. Finnick wrapped his arms around Skye’s Muzzle shaking his head. Her eyes were red and the fur under her cheeks was burnt, but she kept shaking her head as she tried to get her vision to clear. “Ya gotta stay quiet!” Finick hissed. They leaned away from the metal as claws scraped around the inside of it and Finnick tipped his ears as he heard someone growl.

“Where’s the vixen!”

“Fuck you.” Nick growled before they heard him yelp again.

“STOP!” Finnick cringed after Skye screamed, listening to the laughing coming from outside as Nick growled again.

“She’s still in there. Tell her to come out.”

“No. She’s mine.”

Skye and Finnick leaned closer as they heard them arguing. “We know she’s not mated. Tell her to get out here or we’ll break your arms.”

Nick was laughing before he yelped and started hissing between growling. “What is this? Someone forget to take care of the place and let the floor cave in? Go in and get her yourself if you want her that bad.”

Another growl and Finnick leaned away as they heard claws scraping around again. “Burn her out.”

They both gasped until they heard Nick laughing again. “Fire! Lots of trucks and cops and people who love to watch things burn.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait until she gets thirsty then.”

Finnick perked his ears as Nick growled again. “Send the brat out first vixen.”

“Brat?”

Finnick felt around his chest and huffed as he found the pacifier around his neck. “Skye. Don’t do nothin unless he tells ya to. We got one chance to get outta this shit and I ain’t got no idea what he’s thinkin.” He stuck it in his mouth and climbed up the pile of dirt, motioning for her to follow him. His feet had just gotten off the ground as he was snatched by an ear and pulled into the sunlight, curling his arms in front of his face. He blinked a few times and curled into a ball whining as he was met with the sight of two large males glaring at him.

“What the fuck?” a large panther asked tipping a brow as Finnick sucked on the pacifier and squirmed around reaching back towards the vent whining. The cat dropped him and looked back at a large wolverine as he rolled across the ground before looking up and pouting as he rubbed his eyes.

“You want her, you gotta take him too.” Nick growled as he shook his head.

“She’s mated? She can’t be yours, he’s not a red fox.”

Nick sighed and Finnick looked at him for a second before he snarled. “Stay where you are brat.” They looked at Finnick and back to Nick as the little fox’s eyes glazed over. “I didn’t say she was my mate. I said she was mine. That little brat is one of hers.”

“It’s a trick. Get her out here.”

Nick shook his head scowling at them and rubbed the blood away from his forehead. “Get out here vixen.”

“Why do you keep calling her vixen, what’s her name.”

“Her name is whatever I want it to be.”

Finnick slowly crawled to the vent and grabbed Skye’s paw as it slid into daylight. Yelping as she was yanked out. He stood there reaching for her as she dangled from the wolverine’s paw. The large male chuckled as she bared her teeth. “Too much fight in her for her to be-

“That’s because of the kit. Don’t you know anything about foxes?” Nick asked raising his chin as the panther looked back at him snarling. “She’s mine. She does whatever I say, with whoever I say.”

The wolverine and panther looked at each other and narrowed their eyes. “It’s a trick. No vixen takes orders from a tod, and none of them can survive being with more than one. Who’s the kits father?”

Nick scoffed before he laughed. He knew the risk of what he was doing as the wolverine dropped Skye, watching Finnick scramble to her. “How the hell should I know? I can’t even count all the guys she’s seen or been with. She does whatever I tell her to.”

Finnick jumped into her lap and buried his head in her neck, trying not to show the understanding he had with what Nick had said. There was no way to count how many guys Skye had seen in her life or how many she had been around and Nick was using their assuming he meant something else trying to get their minds somewhere else.

“Can’t count them?” The panther snarled as Skye kept trying to clear her eyes. “You control a vixen? Prove it.”

“Get up.” Nick barked. Skye curled her lip and they both chuckled shaking their heads. He shrugged as they both narrowed their eyes. “You want to see it get out of the way. She can’t see me because of that shit they sprayed in her face.”

The panther sighed and stepped out of the way letting Nick walk to Skye as Finnick looked back at him wide eyed. He tapped his teeth a few times and Finnick snapped his head over Skye’s shoulder as Nick leaned closer and growled. “Get up. You’re a pretty girl and that’s all they see. Let them see what you really are.”

Skye’s lip curled and when he came into focus she could see the fur matted around his jaw. Her teeth started pulling back and Finnick watched Nick’s shadow raise a paw as he bit into her neck. The vixen curled around him yelping and looked like she was flinching away from Nick, when in reality she had done both in reaction to the sharp little teeth sinking into her neck. “Get up.” Nick snarled and Finnick ground his teeth in further causing her to whine and stumble to her feet, keeping a paw on the back of his head as Nick squared his shoulders and looked back at them shrugging.

The wolverine sighed as he looked at the panther. “We can take her back so he can see this. Vixen, how long has he had you?”

Skye cringed as Finnick’s teeth ground together. “Answer him!” Nick growled as he dipped away from him trying to get away from the sting in her neck.

“F-four years.”

“Four years….with more than one.” The panther looked her and Finnick over shaking his head. “Too much trouble with a kit that small to take her back. Tell her to leave.”

Nick looked at them raising a brow. “For? She can’t do anything unless I tell her to. That’s how it works. That’s the Deal. She can’t see shit right now and he’s too small to do anything.”

The panther laughed as the wolverine grabbed Nick making him yelp. “Then she won’t have gone too far after you explain how to do this.”

Nick tried to yank away snarling as Skye whined. “I’m not going anywhere with you when I have other business to take care of.”

“Get rid of her or we’ll do it for you, unless you want them to come along. Talon doesn’t mess with them if they aren’t old enough to take care of themselves. More likely to get messy that way.” He curled a claw across his neck and shrugged. “We don’t like messy, but if that’s what has to happen. If that kit is why you still have her, do you want to risk it?”

Nick looked back at Skye watching her shaking her head as she kept getting louder, partially due to Finnick’s teeth, the fact that they had no idea where they were and they were practically dragging him away as he started screaming. “Find your way back! Nothing here is as important as what losing you will cost! Don’t you stay here and get in anymore trouble!”

Skye was left turning circles listening to them laughing as Nick snarled several times and she heard him kicking a few times before she was on the ground trying to pull Finnick away from her neck. He let go spitting as she started bawling and wiped the blood from his mouth as she fell forward. “Skye we gotta go find help.”

“I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING AND THEY TOOK HIM!”

“All they could see was you! We gotta leave and get help. I ain’t big enough to see anything down here. Pick me up and see if you got anything on you we can use to find our way back!”

“My purse.”

“Screw the purse Skye. I got your phone We need to-” Finnick looked up as she pulled something from her pocket and nodded as she held it out. “That’ll work.”

She picked him up and was using her paws to feel along the walls as he guided her around larger objects.

\----------------------------------------------------

Rivel gaped as he watched them dragging Nick down an alley and jumped from roof to roof trying to get a good look at where they were going. He slammed his paws to the bricks he was looking over as they vanished under several large awnings and picked up his phone. “We have a problem. I lost the boy. Some nasty lookin mammals took him from the place.”

Adam leaned forward with pursed lips at the urgency in his voice and growled. “You lost him to nasty looking mammals…”

“I’m pretty sure I know where they went, but I can’t follow them without getting spotted.”

“Why didn’t you stop them before they took him!”

“You told me not to be seen! He was with the Heavenly Walker and another little fox.”

Adam swallowed as his throat nearly cracked from anger and growled as he shot from his office. “Do a survey and get me an address, find out what we’re dealing with, and Revil, if that boy is damaged you better start praying.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick was shoved into a room looking up as a little mouse poked out of a dish on the table. “Hey Talon, this guy knows how to train vixens.”

The little mouse sighed as he jumped from the bowl and shook his head. “Have you both lost your minds? You brought a tod and not the vixen?”

“She was spoiled. Had a kit. Plus she’s his. Did whatever he said.”

The mouse looked at Nick and cocked his head to one side before he sighed. “I’m supposed to believe this kit can do something people have always failed to do.”

“She did. He said it had something to do with the kit she had. It wasn’t his kit.”

The mouse leaned forward with his nose wiggling as Nick sighed like he was bored. “Why would that cause a vixen to take orders from anyone or survive being with more than one? You look like you couldn’t handle yourself, let alone a vixen.”

Nick looked at him and curled his lip. “Where did you come from? You’re a Roraima Mouse. Also known as Podoxyms roraime. There have only been seven of your kind seen since 1927.”

This had the mouse standing on his feet and curling his lip. “You have my attention. Keep it and explain how you trained a vixen.”

Nick looked at him and around the room curling his lip. “No. Why would I do that? Something that valuable isn’t something you just tell people about.”

The mouse leaned against the bowl and snapped his fingers. Nick yelped as he was slammed to the wall with a wolverine and a panther on each side of him, looking back at the little mammals and showing his teeth. “You’ll tell me because I can see what will make you talk.”

Nick scoffed and rolled his eyes as the door opened and watched several mammals come in, shaking his head. “What is this a species convention? Nothing special here. Polar bear, wolf, panther, lion, tiger, ra-

“Eh, Ramsey.” The mouse chuckled as he pointed out the tiger. “That’s the one.” The panther and Wolverine stepped away as the tiger stepped in front of Nick and growled. His ears flicked a few times as he looked up frowning and the mouse snickered. “Everybody has a tell. You should learn how to control that tail of yours.” Nick took a step back as the tiger lowered his head and landed on all fours as his lips pulled over his gums, growling as he backed himself into a corner. “No claws Ramsey.” His eyes flew open as a massive paw swiped and he was thrown to the wall, yelping before he landed with a thud and leaned up on his paws, looking up wide eyed as a growl set his ears back…..

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Revil cringed as the line went dead and rushed down several flights of stairs before he was standing at the entrance of what looked like an abandoned building. A quick look around and he pulled the door open, sucking in a breath as several large mammals turned. Deep scars and shaved places from recent tattoos that were meant to be hidden under fur had him backing away as the largest, a polar bear snarled and stepped forward curling his fists. “I uhm, heard this was the place too…ugh…” He had no idea what they were doing, but tipped his ears as the bear started chuckling in a deep voice that sent all the mammals around him leaning back into positions that relayed they weren’t worried about his presence.

“What species you look for?”

“I…don’t really know yet? Maybe a fox?” he asked nervously as the bear stood up.

The bear laughed as the smaller predators eyes grew, watching him stand at his full height. He had to be a good nine feet tall, larger than the biggest bear he’d observed the kits father with.

“No fox here. We show you what else we have, then you pick. Yes? You want only for short time or want to buy and keep?”

Rivel curled his lip as he stepped back to the door. “To buy and…keep? What do you mean to keep? Oh shit…uhm…just looking first?”

The bear chuckled as he watched the smaller mammal dip is ears back, displaying what he believed to be extreme nervousness as he motioned to a panther. “He will show you stock.”

Rivel cringed each time he looked through a small window in the steel doors. He stopped as the cat in front of him ended the ‘tour’ and gulped. “Do you have a bathroom? I really wanted a fox. I need to uhm…How much is it to…ugh?”

The feline laughed as he preened his whiskers. “Foxes are difficult to come by. Even the few we have had don’t last long, they’re difficult to train unless they come very young and still don’t live long. Makes them very expensive. If you need a moment to decide you can stay in this room. It is forty thousand to buy one to take home unless you’re wanting one trained for specific things. To stay for a few hours or days depends on the species you want.” He motioned to one of the doors and Rivel cringed as he stepped inside, after the door slammed behind him with a heavy metal clink. After sweating for an hour and not getting a signal on his phone the door swung open as the panther stood with the bear. “Choose yet?”

Rivel, cleared his throat and sighed. “I uhm. Think I want to buy one? It’s sort of not for me, a gift for someone else. But I didn’t know how it worked so I uhm-

“HEHEHE.” The bear laughed and Rivel scrunched his shoulders up as the panther leaned into him shaking his head. “Is common. Go get money and then we talk. Cash.”

Rivel dipped his head as they stepped out of his path. “Maze go with you.” He fought not to shrink as the panther lifted his head. “Never stay in one place more than a day. Never let one leave without escort after they see. No one find us without someone telling them. Keep things safe.”

He dipped his ears as the panther stood up and swayed his tail. “Can I call someone? I don’t know what he really wants and want to make sure he gets something he likes.”

The bear laughed as the panther looked up at him grinning. “Gift is for male? Mate is male? Males more expensive. Harder to train.”

Rivel smiled uncomfortably as he held his phone up. The panther laughed as he raised a paw back towards the hall they’d come down, cringing as the cat took his phone and did something to it before handing it back. He took a seat trying to keep himself calm as he tapped the numbers. Adam picked up growling. “Where is he.”

“Sorry. They said the males are more expensive than the females and will only let me leave with an escort to go get the money and bring it back? But they don’t have any foxes right now.”

Adam’s face dropped as he looked up at Manny and fell to a dead calm. “How much?”

“Forty thousand to just buy one, but the males are more and some cost different if you want them specialized or trained for something specific.”

Adam ground his teeth and Revil looked up watching the panther chuckling and preening his whiskers again. “Tell them I’ll be coming to look around and bring the cash with me. Send me the address.”

Revil cringed as he held the phone out and hit the speaker. “Could you repeat that so they can hear you?”

“I said, tell them I want to come and look around and I’ll bring cash with me, more than enough to pay for what I want. And Revil, when we get home you’re going to pay it back.” Revil cringed and the panther chuckled as he leaned over and gave the address. He hung up after Adam growled a few choice words to him saying he’d be there within an hour.

The cat chuckled. “Are you from one of the safe houses? You seem trained well. It’s common for them to send others they have bought before to pick up new ones.”

Revil dropped his head and jumped as the panther snapped his teeth at him. The cat walked away laughing as he stuffed his phone in his pocket and wiped the sweat from his face. He sat fumbling with his own paws until a red fox walked in and marched to him. The bear and the panther who were watching both snickered as Adam grabbed him and slammed him to the floor. Revil cringed and turned his head, holding his paws up as the red fox’s teeth snarled in his face. “Incompetent idiot! Can you not do anything right?!” Revil curled into a ball on the floor as Adam stood up and turned back to them fighting not to growl. “I want a fox. A boy.”

The bear shook his head as the panther cocked his head to one side. “No foxes here.”

“You have a fox here. He is already mine.”

All the predators in the room took notice and braced as the bear growled. “Yours… You train him to train vixen?”

Adam curled his brow looking around and ticked his eyes back and forth as he slowly shook his head. “You aren’t fucking up the future. He’s my grandson.”

Teeth flashed as predators jumped, and the lights cut out as the room exploded into flashes of light that left most of them stumbling over each other, furniture, and confusion as the building was flooded with mammals covered in black….

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Skye stumbled onto another street and Finnick was shaking his head watching everyone around them act as if they were invisible. Even as early in the morning as it was with people being in a rush or half asleep he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. They weren’t even paying attention to the blood all over both of them from where he’d bitten Skye. She’d finally been able to see enough to avoid running into anything and she sat on a bench curling into ball as the cold wind cut through her fur. Finnick plopped beside her and pulled her phone out of his pocket kicking his feet as he picked up a signal. “Hang on, hang on I got a signal!”

“Call my dad first!” Skye whined as she rubbed her eyes.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rose wrung her paws next to the coffee pot as Nicholas hung up and shook his head, pacing the kitchen again. “I’m sure they’re fine Rose. After the stunt they pulled last night this is just showing their asses-

He held his phone up and his face dropped as he stuck it to his ear. “Roger?”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finnick looked at Skye and shook his head. “The lines busy. Wanna send a text?”

Skye shook her head as she rubbed her eyes again. “He has an old phone that doesn’t get them. Try your Dad.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rose sucked in a breath as Nicholas fell into a chair and cupped paw over his muzzle. “She never came home last night?”

Rose sobbed as she read his lips. “No. We talked to Shirly earlier. She said they got on the bus as she was driving by the stop after she left the diner last night. How do you know she wasn’t there if you’re working the night shift, maybe she left earl-” his face fell as Roger started screaming. “No. She didn’t stay here last night Roger. Nick and Finnick never came home. I’ll…I don’t know. The last place they were seen was getting on the bus.”

He hung up looking back at Rose as she shook her head and tried to catch her breath. “Go get Jasper. See if he can go to the bus station and pick up anything. I’ll call the police.”

Rose rushed out the front door and he was chewing his lip as an officer picked up. “I need to report three missing kits.”

“Are you the parent? When and where was the last time they were seen and what are their ages and names?”

“I’m the father of two. Nicholas and Finnick Wilde and Skye, I mean Heaven Walker. They’re seventeen, sixteen and fourteen. They were all together the last time they were seen. Last night around one A.M. at the-

“Sir, have there been any problems at home that would indicate any of them would run away?”

Nicholas cringed as Nick’s recent attitude and actions made him run a paw along his face. “Maybe, our oldest hasn’t been… he’s just at that age.”

“Sir, we don’t look into cases of kits over the age of sixteen who have possibly run away. We can have an officer come about the younger kit in about an hour if you give me your address. You can file a missing persons report on the other two after twenty-four hours, but more than likely at their ages they’re just together somewhere and will turn up in a day or two. The parents of the other child will have to file a report.” Nicholas growled as he clenched his jaw. He sighed as he gave her the address and Rose came back in with a tense Jasper as his phone went off. He stood from the chair shaking his head as a message from Skye’s phone came through.

“It’s Finnick. We got thrown off the bus after the guy driving tired to use a fox taser and maced Skye and Nick. We don’t know where we are. I got Skye’s phone but mine got smashed when I fell outta the back of the bus. We don’t know where Nick is. We had to walk to find a signal and there ain’t no street signs. Dad- its bad.”

“Stay where you are. Look around and tell me what you see.” He text back as Jasper raised a brow. “Rose. Call Mr. Big and tell him I’m not coming in today. I have to call Roger. Jasper I need you to call Shirly and find out which bus they got on. If there is anyway you can track where they got off and talk to the driver…”

Jasper nodded before he was gone and Rose cupped her paws together as Nicholas looked over the phone. The message Finnick sent had him shaking his head. “People here act like they can’t see us even though we’re both covered in blood and Skye’s face and eyes are pretty bad. The buildings all look like they’re made different. There’s lots of different stones and the lights here look like little trees. The benches look like giant leaves.”

Nicholas’ face fell as he looked at Rose and shook his head. “I know where they are. It’s a small area where really rich mammals live. I’ve had a couple of people from the limo service as customers there.” He sent a text to Finnick before he was talking to Roger and Rose rushed down the basement stairs. Roger was already in his car and driving when he hung up as Rose returned wearing the armor and he shook his head. “We won’t need that, not where we’re going. Roger will probably beat us there. I just don’t understand how they got there on one of the buses. They don’t even use limos very often because they have their own cars and drivers in that area.” Rose growled and he threw his paws up and pinned his ears back before she rushed out the door and was impatiently waiting for him in the car. He puffed a breath as she bounced in the seat and grabbed her paw. “Rose, Nick got separated from them.” Her paws were waving around and he kept ticking his eyes between her and the road as he shook his head. “I don’t know. Finick just said it was bad.” She cupped a paw over her face as he sped through Happy Town.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roger raced around several corners, ignoring a few nasty screams after he reached the area Nicholas had told him about. He had his head stuck out the window and growled at a few people he tried to talk to as they ignored him. His head snapped up and the car screeched to a halt after Finnick jumped over a bench shaped like a large leaf that was folded in half. He left the car in the middle of the street as he rushed around it and growled looking at both young foxes. Skye jumped as her father grabbed her and Finnick cringed as she was frantically trying to explain what had happened. After getting them in the car he called Nicholas and was trying to explain where they were as the silver foxes car pulled up behind him.

Nicholas and Rose jumped from their car and Rose was sniffling as she reached in cupping Skye’s face. “We left marks with lipstick so we could find Nick again.” Skye was swinging her arms around growling and complaining as Roger looked into the back seat at Finnick. Nicholas was looking around shaking his head when his phone rang. Jasper was explaining he’d found the driver and the silver fox was blinking as he listened and watched Finnick pointing to the last place they’d left a mark. Roger was still growling as Skye kept trying to tell them what had happened, but she wasn’t making a lot of sense, and Finnick kept flipping his ears back each time her father looked into the back seat for an explanation.

Nicholas watched Rose running a paw along the last wall she found a lipstick arrow as Roger growled again. “How the hell did they end up here!”

“A bus left them here. Jasper found the driver. He took him to Mr. Big. He has a little bear nurse that can look at Skye and Finnick.”

“No! I want to stay and find Nick!” Nicholas leaned into the car looking at Skye and cringed at the blood in her fur and still on his youngest son’s muzzle. Finnick shied his eyes as Rose slammed into his father’s back, trying to pull him back to where she’d found the lipstick trail along the walls of several buildings.

“I wasn’t big enough to see where we were at or where we were going Dad.”

Nicholas grabbed Rose as Roger kept trying not to snarl. “Skye, you both need to be looked at. Finnick, take Roger to Mr. Big’s place. Make sure you tell them everything that happened. We’re going to find Nick. I’ll call you as soon as we find him.”

Roger pulled away shaking his head as Nicholas and Rose took to the place the lipstick had stopped on a wall. He drove to the Big manner with his jaw clenching. They were led inside with Skye keeping a grip on her father’s arms, still whining about staying where they’d been so they could find Nick as a little bear stepped past the desk and took her to another room. Roger was screaming as Finnick dipped his ears back in a chair that was too large as Mr. Big raised a paw. The arctic fox took a seat watching the bears around them and glanced at Finnick as Jasper came in, dragging a slovenly pig with him he tossed in front of the desk. Roger’s face fell as he found out what had happened and he looked at Finnick, tilting his ears as the small fox turned his eyes.

Finnick explained everything as Roger kept watching Skye in a room across the hallway and dropped his face in his paws as Jasper growled. The wolf raised his head as he looked at Mr. Big. The shrew grunted as the bears curled their lips, watching the pig in front of the desk looking between all of them nervously. “Take Mr. Walker to his daughter, Finnick, go and make sure to have Ms. Beesly look you over as well.”

Finnick jumped from the chair as Jasper waited for Roger to get to the next room and looked in watching Mr. Big. rubbing his chin as Jasper perked his ears. “What do with him?”

Mr. Big rubbed his chin watching the pig chuckling as the bears raised a brow. “You believe something about this is humorous...Hampton, is it?”

The pig scoffed as he looked around. “You don’t have any idea who I am.”

Mr. Big smirked and chuckled as he tipped his head to Boris. “I do not believe you realize who you are speaking with. Behave like animals and you will find the like. You and your associates are not the only mammals who can be… ruthless.” Jasper’s ears tilted to his head as Mr. Big waved a paw. Him and Finnick watched the door close being a massive bear who was grinning in a way that sent their ears back as they watched the driver get plucked from the floor screaming. The wolf turned his eyes as he motioned for Finnick to go into the next room. Roger was sitting with Skye as Ms. Beesly grabbed Finnick and started wiping off his face. He was growling and trying to jerk away from her after she picked him up, until Jasper leaned over curling his lip at the little fox. Finnick sighed as he stopped squirming and flipped his ears back listening to Skye and Roger.

“Dad! We left him there!”

“I’m sure they will find him Angel. Nicholas said he would call wh-”

“WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND HELP FIND HIM!”

Roger watched Ms. Beesly shaking her head. “It will be at least a few hours before the ointment I placed in her eyes clears her vision. She’s lucky it was fox mace and not something meant for another species or it would have damaged them permanently and caused an infection in her lungs.”

“Heaven, we’re going to have to wait.” Roger said forcefully and cringed as she started sniffling. Jasper sighed as Ms. Beesly looked over Finnick and dropped his head as the Arctic fox curled around his daughter…

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick heaved as he backed into the wall, whining as the tiger chuckled and cracked his neck. The mouse on the table folded his arms over his chest and curled his lip. “Wirely little fox. Either you’re crazy or the information you have must be worth a great deal if you’re willing to let this continue.”

Nick caught his breath, backing up and curling his lip. “Fuck you.”

Talon shook his head as he looked at the tiger. “I’ll find out what I want to know. Everyone cracks at some point.” He stepped closer to the edge of the table as the panther held a paw out and stepped into it shrugging. “Get him talking, if he doesn’t, make sure he isn’t moving when you’re done. Don’t kill him.” The other mammals that had been in the room left chuckling as the tiger looked back at Nick grinning. He backed away on all fours again snarling before he went flying. The table he flew into was knocked over and landed on his chest after he rolled over the top. He barely shoved it off with a yelp and the pain sent him curling into a ball whining as the sight of orange fur blurred into vision again….

**Notes; Nope-**


	9. Within The Kuiper Belt

**Within the Kuiper Belt***

**Judy/ Nick; Sigma ft. Birdy - Find me**

**Chance/ Skye; Taylor Swift; Breathe**

Nicholas shook his head watching Rose turn circles. She looked back at him whining when she didn’t know which way to turn. He stepped closer to her and frowned as she whimpered, placing his paws on her shoulders hoping it would calm her enough that the armor would help. She almost screamed as his eyes turned white and lit like stars. The vixen stood in aww as he straightened his back and pulled the robe from her shoulders like he was in a trance. She stepped away as he threw the cape out and let her jaw drop watching it twist into a familiar shape as the tie that held the hood in place pulled away and split in half along its length. Nicholas moved like he’d done it a million times, even though she’d never seen it form into the arch of a bow. One section of the tie became a string that hooked both ends of the twisted fabric together, setting like a taught string as the fabric that had twisted tightly locked into a semi solid material. He took hold of the other strand that had looped around his paw and grabbed it between his finger and thumb, pulling it through his other finger and thumb as he held the makeshift bow with his other fingers on the opposite paw. Rose stepped back again, shaking her head as it became rigid, and gaped as he pulled the string back, letting the other strand of the fabric rest like an arrow. She cupped a paw over her ears and winced as what she was wearing lit up and sent a million voices through her mind as Nicholas looked up and fired the ‘arrow’.

She shook her head as the voices faded and heard only one thought as she managed to look back and see her mate mouthing the same words. “Find my son.” Her breath shuttered as she watched his eyes stay lit, and she turned her vision to the arrow as it flew straight above them and started spinning. It moved like it was suspended as it hit its highest point, and spun in mid-air before it stopped and shot in another direction as if it had been fired from a different angle. “Follow.”

Rose blinked the mist from her eyes as the voice rang in her mind again and the arrow left a trail she had a hard time seeing as Nicholas moved his head with each twist it made and chased after it like it was a painted path of neon in the sky. The ‘bow’ was tossed over his shoulder and the string hung across his chest as he turned. She followed him by staying a pace behind after he’d changed direction and raced to keep up. The vixen stopped, panting as Nicholas stopped in front of a building that looked as abandoned and empty as her heart had felt when Skye had told them what happened. He held a paw up and pointed to the door before his eyes closed. Rose tried to jump as he clutched his head and stumbled several times, shaking it off as the piece of cloth that had pulled and formed the arrow slithered back to the bow and flashed as the cape unraveled and curled around his shoulders. The cape, and clothing Rose was wearing shifted back to looking like it belonged in a museum or trash can when he pressed a paw to the door. Rose looked around shaking her head as Nicholas opened the door and looked back watching her sign she didn’t see anything. It just looked like the back of a building no one used. The silver fox curled his lip and cringed as his eyes scanned into the dark building. “He’s here Rose. I know he is.”

The vixen clutched the back of his arm as he stepped inside and gasped as they stepped passed an area littered with bodies scattered along the floor. She clung to his arm as he walked through the place like he’d been there before and grabbed the door handle of a room tucked away from where the place looked like it would open into a larger area. Rose clutched his arm as he reached back and grabbed one of the daggers from her hip, and jolted as he shoved it through the lock. The door swung open and his feet refused to move as he looked into the room, almost losing his breath at the sight. “Oh Gods.”

Rose rushed around him and landed next to Nick, whining as she ran her paws along his muzzle. She looked back watching Nicholas heaving as he stayed locked to the door. After trying to sign to him several times and seeing his eyes glued to their son, she stood up and snarled loud enough that his head jerked to her. “NICHOLAS!” she signed in force and he jerked into the room pulling the cape from his shoulders and wrapping it around Nick as Rose looked him over. If it weren’t for the fact that she was in a state of mind that was aimed towards protection and survival she would have lost it already as Nicholas gently picked him up from the corner he’d crawled into and stood trying not to let his knees give out. The silver foxes ears tilted several times as Rose looked around and turned back seeing his ears pin to his head. “Sirens. Someone called the cops Rose, we have to get out of here without being seen.”

She tipped her head towards the way they’d come in and Nicholas was rushing the best he could with the weight of their son in his arms as he tried to step around several of the mammals laid out on the floor. They crept out of the building staying close to the shadows as several squad cars with flashing lights and blaring sirens rushed right by them, either being unfamiliar with the building layout or ignoring the back entrance as they screeched to a halt in front of the building and rushed in with tasers and firearms at the ready. Nicholas kept his back to the wall as they carefully moved away from the street along the back of the building and stepped into some kind of alcove built into a building another block over. His arms were aching as Nick laid limp and he was having a hard time catching his breath after managing to get far enough away they could slow down, but it still wasn’t far enough. He looked at Rose and closed his eyes as she pulled the cape away from his chest and curled her lip looking at their son. “Not now Rose. Not yet. We haven’t put enough space between us to fall apart. I need you to get the car over here so we can take him to the hospital.”

Her face fell and her paws were flying. “I can’t drive! I’ve never driven a car!”

Nicholas kept a flat face on her and she froze as he locked eyes with her. “You can. You have to Rose. I can’t keep carrying him like this and we can’t take him to Mr. Bigs with the Weaselton’s there and run the risk of someone there talking about seeing any of this and making some kind of connection between all of it.”

Rose dropped her head and leaned forward placing a paw on Nick’s head as Nicholas leaned closer. They pressed their heads together before she gathered herself and took off running. Nicholas looked back around the corner, curling his eyes tight as he took a breath and slowly lowered to the ground, keeping Nick in his lap as he folded his knees out and tried not to move him around anymore than he had to. He pulled the cape away looking at his face and shook his head. His lips were cracked and most of his face was caked in dried blood, both eyes were blackened shut and his jaw was swollen so much on one side of his face that he was almost unrecognizable. The silver fox felt his eyes burning as Nick’s head stayed against his chest, his breath barely rustling the fur on his neck as he pressed his head to his son’s and lost control of his own breathing as he cradled him closer, fighting not to make any noise as his voice seemed to take on a will of its own he was losing the battle with.

Rose pulled up as close to the little alcove as she could get after dragging the car to where they had been. She was still trying to get her heart to stop pounding from the intimidation of being behind the wheel of the vehicle and trying not to screw up on the few blocks it had taken to get back at a crawling pace when she threw it in park and looked up. Her face curled as she watched Nicholas curled around their son, his shoulders twitching as he moved back and forth in a slow rocking motion that broke her heart as much as finding him in this condition. She rushed from the car and pulled his head to hers as he slowly opened his eyes. One nod and he pulled it back and stood, with Rose guiding him to the car as she kept an eye on the directions anyone could approach from. She slipped into the backseat as Nicholas laid Nick in the passenger side. She was petting his ears before she stopped and started pulling the tattered old pieces off, shoving the daggers, swords, a shields under the seats before she pulled the cape from around Nicholas and used it to hide what wouldn’t fit under the seats. Nicholas slid behind the wheel and drove as inconspicuously as possible as she pet his neck, until he reached an area he knew they were out of possible run ins with law enforcement and slammed his foot to the floor as fast as the tears were falling from his face……

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In another town a phone rang and a small paw picked it up. “Adam.” Lilith’s ears swiveled as her eyes narrowed and she leaned forward rubbing her brow. “How was he injured?”

“Beaten badly. It was taken care of. He’s already back with his parents.”

“If you took care of it, how is he back with his parents? Will this cause a problem?” she asked chewing her lip.

“That I am unclear on. We placed a call to the police so they would find him. They arrived before the police did. It will not cause a future problem as we…dispersed the ones who too him.”

“They took him for what reason? Do we need to worry about this being an issue later.”

“They took him believing he could teach them something that isn’t possible. No My Lady, we left no one there to cause a future problem.”

Lilith giggled as she leaned back in her chair. “Dispersed… you mean you killed them?”

Adam growled and set her fur on end as she sat up in the chair. “Yes, and made sure he wasn’t damaged in a way that might cause future problems.”

“Exactly how did they get their paws on him to begin with?” she asked harshly, smirking as he growled again.

“A follower failed to alert us of a problem when it could have been stopped before it happened.”

“And this follower is now….”

“Being dealt with My Lady. I’ll not have anyone fucking up the future I’ve been working so hard to get to.”

Lilith sat back sighing as Adam growled again. “Then make sure he never speaks of this again. What exactly were these mammals intentions who took him?”

“A safe house, My Lady.”

Lilith bolted up in the chair and curled her lip . “A what?” The fox on the other end of the line sighed heavily, though it was half obscured as he did it through a growl. “Adam, you are aware of what a safe house means in the language of those hidden from the law.”

“Yes, My Lady.” He growled again as she scraped her blunt claws across the table in front of her, seething.

“Then make sure you remove the other things they could have taken that could have damaged our path to Nine, and see to it I have proof it was done.”

“Done. Manny, record this...” He flipped a switch blade open and Revil leaned back in the chair as Adam growled…

The line clicked as she heard him growl and she stepped out of one room into another as several large ears perked her direction. The does ears rose as she took a seat and dialed another number. “Mr. Jackson…..” Lilith listened and her ears set as she sat in the chair, looking around at a few other bunnies as she smiled. “The Grey boy has been sent to a detention center in Zootopia. There’s one fox gone for you then, isn’t there?” She sighed as she nodded. “No we still can’t do that, you know they own nearly everything there and the….How old is your oldest son now? thirteen? He’s already bonded to……” Lilith sat up beaming as the other does tilted their ears curiously. “What is her name and how old is she? Ten?” The doe leaned back smiling wider as she listened and nodded. “Do you think you can arrange for us to meet both of them? No - no. don’t tell anyone we’re coming. I need to talk to both of them alone. You arrange something and I promise we’ll be there to talk to all of you together. Oh, and Mr. Jackson, make sure your son knows not to tell her parents we’re talking and that she’s not going to tell them. I don’t want them to know about all this. Yes. Call me back when you have everything set up. If this goes well we’ll get rid of all the predators in the Burroughs and everything will be as it should have stayed. The Hopps signed the contract with you right? Oh, good, good. Now you’re the only distributor in the Burroughs for the farms? Seeds, equipment and fertilizers? Wonderful! Thank you, Bye.”

Lilith sat back glowing as she folded her paws on the table. “The first plan may not have worked, but I think this will. The Grey boy was sent to the detention center for Juveniles and will be staying there for a while. The only other fox family besides the Grey’s in the Burroughs now are the Linebaughs. The Hopps have taken a firm stand on not allowing anymore foxes into the area because of the incident, it’s a start. Since it didn’t dissuade them from the other predators, we’ll be going to meet with Mr. Jackson and his son D.J. It seems his son has bonded to a young bunny he told his father he wanted to marry when they were old enough.” The other does looked at each other cringing as Lilith giggled. “No, he isn’t a bunny, he’s a hare too. I think what the Hopps have been teaching their children may backfire. Hares don’t have the same….guidelines we do as a species, but they can form a bond. It’s rare but you aren’t going to believe who he’s bonded to.” They all tipped their ears with expectant brows as Lilith scrunched her nose, almost vibrating in her seat as she curled her fists excitedly. “Ashia Adi Hopps.” They all blinked as she laughed. “Bonnie and Stu’s first-born daughter. The eldest doe who should have been the one who inherited everything and lost out because of Violet and Judy. She seems to already have a jealous streak against her sister. They call her frosty because she bleaches the tips of her ears white, exactly the opposite of Judy’s. And the Jackson family is now the sole distributor for all the seeds and farming equipment in the Burroughs.…. ohohohho it’s falling into place! Let's keep an eye on things and see how it goes. Judy’s still in the hospital, but from what I’ve gathered they haven’t figured out why she won’t wake up.”

One of the does tilted her head and threw her paws up as Lilith sat back in her chair. “Why did you set that up then?”

Lilith frowned. “It's like Adam said about those damn foxes. I’m not underestimating them again. As much of a pain as they’ve been in our tails already, I’m not going to assume this will kill her. The little brat doesn’t know when to just die. She should have died with the rest of the Hopps. She has no future with our people, she just doesn’t know it yet…..”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bonnie stood as Doc Stevens came out and he glanced at the young buck as he took a seat in the chair next to them. Violet had stayed at home with her mate and the other kits as they stayed at the hospital as much as they could, hoping she would wake up again. Bonnie let her eyes gloss over as she looked at the rabbit who had delivered most of her kits and been there through the worst and best parts of their lives. "Why does it keep happening?"

Doc Stevens looked into the room and sighed. "It's psychosomatic for her. It's the only explanation I’ve been able to come up with. It's in her head."

"But she's not awake! She's been like this for almost a week! Is she …in pain or? Why won’t she wake up?" Bonnie almost hissed as she shook her head.

Doc Stevens shrugged. "No more pain than what’s normal for her, no. But she’s still in there or it wouldn't be happening every time they try to clean her up or change things for her. There was no water in her lungs, but she did get a bad infection from it getting into her nose and sinus cavity. From what the kits explained to me I think the fox winded her before she fell into the water. It kept the water out of her lungs, but every time she comes into contact with any kind of water she stops breathing, her heart rate drops and it’s like it's happening all over again. Some form of P.T.S.D. I suppose. It's one of the most drastic cases I’ve ever seen, but I know if she’s having that reaction from someone just touching her with something that’s wet, she’s still in there, Bonnie." He looked back to the window, tipping his head to the young buck as Stu leaned forward letting his tears fall freely. "I know this may not be any of my business, but why are you keeping him here like this?”

Stu rubbed his eyes, fighting not to sob as he shook his head. "The only way we can get him to eat anything is if we bring him with us. He hasn’t left that window since he's been here and he hasn't said a word to anyone since it happened. We don't know what else to do.”

Doc Stevens ticked his cheek up looking at the buck who stared unblinking as he kept his eyes on the doe through the window. "He was there?"

Bonnie nodded as she wiped her nose on a tissue and let her chest bounce as her eyes spilled over again. “He pulled her from the water. Why won’t she wake up?" 

Doc Stevens looked back to the young buck as he narrowed his eyes. "Maybe she doesn’t want to wake up or needs a reason to. If she recognizes water even though she's not awake, maybe she’ll recognize something else too. I have an idea…." He pulled Bonnie and Stu aside as he whispered. “He’s been here with you this whole time? If they’re close maybe he can wake her up? Would it be alright if I let him try? I know he’s young but he’s old enough to understand what’s going on. Do you think he’d do it?” Bonnie and Stu looked at each other as he kept his voice low and dropped their ears as he asked what they thought. Their ears perked straight and they turned when the young buck spoke.

"Yes." They all looked at him as he turned his head to them as he swallowed and nodded. "I will."

Stu stood as Bonnie shook her head and sobbed several times. The brown furred buck in overalls stepped to the window and bent on his knees as he kept swallowing, trying not to bawl as he looked into the blue eyes of the young buck they had taken into their family. "Chance, this may not end well. We don't want to put that responsibility on you."

The young black and white buck looked to the floor as he clenched his jaw. "But it already is. I left her alone, Pop. You asked me to watch out for her and I wasn’t. She got hurt because I left her alone. I gotta try. She’s mine and I'll be lost without her."

Bonnie fell apart as Stu pulled him into his chest. The young buck looked up over his shoulder and pulled away as Doc Stevens opened the door and motioned into the room. Doc Stevens let him stay there as he removed the tubes and machines from Judy and Bonnie wrung her paws nervously as he stepped back out the door. She looked at Doc Stevens with her nose twitching as he motioned back to the window. "Are they bonded?" Bonnie nodded and he smiled lightly as he sighed. "Thought as much. It’s a sensory thing too. Don't worry, Bonnie. She just needs to be able to smell him. If her heart rate spikes or her breathing changes the machines will go off and cause a racket that would wake up the dead here." Bonnie sighed as they stood at the window, watching as the young buck stepped closer to the bed and carefully took hold of her paw. "The Lad is quite the Jack isn't he?"

Bonnie stepped to the window with Stu and leaned her head into his shoulder as they watched. "They saved each other once before. Maybe they can do it again." She said as Stu wrapped an arm around her. The older doe sucked in a breath as she watched the young buck start to crawl into the bed. Doc Stevens held a paw up as his brows went down. The older rabbit smiled as the heart monitor slowed and Bonnie gasped as Judy's ear twitched. They watched for hours until they had worn themselves out enough that they both fell asleep in the chairs outside the room. Doc Stevens returned to an office looking over charts as the hours ticked away…..

Chance scooted closer as he cupped her cheek and pulled her face closer to his. "Tada. I won't know what to do if you aren't here. You stopped breathing, but I feel like I can't find any air. I don't want to see you hurting like this because it hurts me too. I’ve been griping about you not sleeping forever but this isn’t what I wanted. Please wake up. You’re the only reason I fit anywhere….. don’t leave me in the dark, Can you hear me? Follow my voice. Do what you’ve always beat me at. Do what you do best.” He dipped his head into her neck and sighed as he closed his eyes. Run with me, run to me. Run. Please…..come back. Run to me. We’re lost without you…."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

In an adjacent room, everyone stepped out leaving Nick lying in the silence. He was still and nothing stirred in his mind as his parents spoke with several wolves outside the door in a frantic conversation. Whispers started running through the room and his ears flicked several times at the sound of a voice he was trying to rouse to, just out of the range of understanding. They flowed through the vents between the rooms, obscured by the conditioned air being thrown into the hospital. The rushed sound faded and his ears flicked as a voice just above a whisper caught his ears. “Do what you do best. Run with me. Run to me. Run. Please…come back. Run to me. We’re lost without you….”

His eyes curled as if he were in pain and a blinding flash caused him to recoil as another voice swam through his mind like a dream. _‘Tell her to run. Tell her to run to me…_ ’ The light flashed behind his eyes again as a figure moved within it, a silhouette not defined enough to take shape he kept trying to see as it flashed and was gone from his mind before he shot up in the bed screaming. He grabbed the rails of the bed trying to catch his bearings and hold onto anything solid as his vision blurred from the light in the room. “RUN! RUN!” Nicholas shoved into the room with Rose tripping to get to the bed. She rushed to his side as he almost hyperventilated, still screaming. “RUN! TELL HER TO RUN! TELL HER TO RUN!”

Nicholas grabbed him and pulled him to his chest as Rose sat beside him petting his ears. “Tell her to run! Tell her to run!”

“Nick, it’s alright! Skye is safe. You’re safe.” Finnick peeked into the room and dropped his eyes at Nick not having enough strength to do anything but try to keep his head on his father’s shoulders and barely move his arms around as he tried to shake his head through bloodshot eyes.

“I’m lost! We’re lost! We’re all lost! Tell her to run, tell her to run! Run….run…. I have to find h…” 

“You’re safe, everyone is safe.” Nicholas looked over his shoulder as Nick kept mumbling and huffing, and shook his head as Rose looked at him for a loss.

“No! No it’s not! No one is safe!” He wasn’t clearly awake as the silver fox laid him back on the pillows trying to get the erratic movements slowed as he placed his paws on his chest. “Run. Tell her… tell her…”

“Ok, ok.” Nicholas lowered his voice and caught the lump in his throat as Nick kept trying to move his paws and shake his head. “I’ll tell her Nicky. Just lay still and rest, I’ll tell her.”

The young red fox sighed and his breathing settled as Rose kept petting his ears. Finnick puckered his lips as he stepped into the hall to catch his breath.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Judy’s brow curled as her ears twitched, catching voices in the darkness. “I’m lost! We’re lost! We’re all lost! Tell her to run, tell her to run! Run….run…. I have to find h… Run. Tell her … tell her… Run to me.”

Doc Stevens shook himself as a loud alarm set his ears up. He rushed into the hall as several nurses came down the hall running the same way. The buck stopped and blinked as Bonnie and Stu stood holding each other, both of them bawling as they ticked their eyes back and forth between him and the window. He ran in front of them and froze as he reached the door, catching the doe who had been near comatose bawling as she shook her head and folded into the buck screaming. “I DID IT! YOU BIG STUPID!”

Chance was laughing as he looked out the window, lost somewhere between sorrow and elation as she started screaming about him being an idiot for thinking it was his fault. Doc Stevens was chuckling as he rushed into the room and jerked back as Judy slapped his paws away, curling around the buck who was still chuckling as he purred and wrapped around her, ticking his eyes to Bonnie and Stu as they both laughed and shook their heads. "Judy. I really need to look you over. I can't do that if you don't let go of him."

The bunny narrowed her eyes, peeking over Chance's shoulder and shook her head as she curled around him tighter. "No. I am not letting go. I am not losing him again!"

Chance chuckled as he lifted his head and raised his brows at her. "Tada? Lost me?! You were the one who was gone!"

"And I am not leaving you again! I saw a light in the darkness and I heard your voice! I heard you!" she cried as she dipped her head back into his neck sobbing. The buck ran his paws down her ears and brushed his chin along hers as she kept sobbing. She’d folded her legs around his waist as he sat on the bed with his legs folded under them. Judy was threatening to choke him if she curled any tighter. Doc Stevens chuckled and Chance rolled his eyes.

"You know I’m going to have to get up to pee soon."

"NO!" she groaned into his neck as he smiled and laid his head over hers.

"I promise I’ll be right back."

Stu stepped closer and lifted his brows as he clutched his hat in his paws. "Bunny doe, we really want to know if you’re alright and can't know for sure if Doc can't look at you."

"NO!"

Bonnie giggled as Stu rolled his eyes and pulled her back out of the room. Doc Stevens shook his head as he stepped out with them and chuckled as he looked in, watching the buck whispering as Judy kept shaking her head in his shoulder. Doc looked back at Bonnie and Stu and sighed. "I can wait a little while to look her over. To be honest I couldn't find anything wrong with her after the infection was cleared up and as …. insistent as she is right now, I don't see any damage to her mind either. I can only think of one other time I've seen her get that emotional though. Isn't he similar in that way? Stubborn?”

Bonnie wiped her cheek and sighed as she looked back in, smiling. "Yes, they’re both a little closed off emotionally. Stubborn? Those two? You have no idea."

Doc Stevens sighed as he took a seat and both rabbits looked at him curiously as he rubbed his neck. "You uhm, haven't been home much the last week so I'm assuming you haven't heard about the Grey boy?"

Bonnie let her face fall as Stu bristled. "I don't really care about the Grey boy. He's been picking on her for a long time and this was the last straw. He almost killed her. I don't want that fox or any other fox anywhere near my daughter or my other kits."

Doc Stevens nodded as he cupped a paw over his muzzle and sighed. "I don't think you're going to have to worry about that. I spoke to Sherriff Catmull. Deputy Wen took him into the city the day after it happened. We’re still under Zootopia's district so he…fell into the Predator and Prey protection act under speciest laws. They can't charge him as an adult because of his age, but he isn't going to be coming back to the Burroughs until after he’s twenty-one."

"Good." Stu growled as he looked back in the room, watching Judy close her eyes as Chance curled around her again.

Doc Stevens stood sighing as he rubbed his back. "I know you’re upset Stu, but I feel kind of sorry for the boy. Deputy Wen said he was taken to a juvenile detention center for criminal offenders and was one of the smallest species there. She said they were going to have him for breakfast lunch and dinner."

Stu scoffed as he shook his head. "Well what comes around goes around doesn't it?" Bonnie sighed as she looked into the room and cringed as Stu looked at her with a raised brow. "We aren’t going to feel sorry for that kit, Bonnie. Not after all the things he’s done. There’s no call for that kind of thing."

Bonnie shook her head as she watched Judy sigh. "No, but I already know how she’s going to feel about it."

Stu cringed as he looked into the room and sighed. "Yeah, guess I didn't think about that part. I'll keep it to myself." Bonnie nodded and he tipped his eyes back to the window as she smiled. He chuckled as Chance slipped from the bed, moving about as slow as a sloth as he snuck into the bathroom. Bonnie cupped a paw over her mouth as they heard the buck sigh heavily and Judy's nose twitched as her eyes shot open.

"CHANCE!"

"WHAT!?" he asked as he ran back from the bathroom, struggling to get his pants zipped up.

"DON'T YOU EVER LEAVE ME AGAIN!" The buck snickered as she grabbed him and pulled him back into the bed.

"OOF!" he looked at her with a tipped brow as she curled her arms around him, purring as she nudged his chin. "Well this is new. Going to start sleeping with me now that I’m around?” Doc Stevens turned to Bonnie and Stu as they both cringed. The doe sighed as she shrugged. “They’ve been sharing a room since she was nine. We couldn’t keep them apart. He would sneak in there with her every night anyway so we just let it go. He always griped because she didn’t stay with him very long at night. He would wake up and go looking for her again.”

Doc Stevens chuckled. “You’ll have to tell me how that got started sometime.”

Stu scratched his head snickering as they caught Chance groaning. “Tada! I promise I won’t leave again but if you don’t stop squeezing me I’m going to pee again!”

"Shut up and keep me warm."

The buck was hissing as he laughed and curled around her again. "You're going to give everyone a bad idea doing this you know?" He asked, still trying to get his laughing under control.

"Oh who cares what they think. They already see us as…whatever they see us as anyway."

He chuckled and as he shook his head. "Can't argue with that logic can I?"

"Warm, now!" Judy growled as she pulled him closer. Chance slipped lower on the bed as she tried to curl into his fur.

Bonnie lifted her brows as Chance pulled the covers over their heads. She started to go into the room and Stu stopped her, ticking his ears up as he blinked. Doc Stevens tipped his head to one side as he shot his eyes to them. "How old are they now?"

Bonnie's lip twitched as Stu lowered his brows. "She's twelve and we think he's fifteen."

"They’re cousins, right?"

"By Marriage only. So, not really." Bonnie shook her head slowly as all their ears trained on the room.

Chance laughed as he shuffled around under the blankets and pulled it up high enough that he could see her staring at him as she blinked. "Marry me?"

Judy busted out laughing as she shoved him. "Get real."

The buck let his face fall as she tipped her head staring at him. "I'm serious Tada. Marry me? Be my girl."

Judy tipped her head to one side as he leaned closer and they both pressed their lips together and blinked as they pulled apart. Each of them had an odd expression on their faces as Chance threw the blanket back over them. They sat up staring at each other before Chance’s lip curled up and Judy shivered like she had witnessed the most disturbing criminal act on the planet. Bonnie, Stu, and Doc Stevens all raised their brows as they gawked at each other, pointed a finger at the other and screamed… "Eww! Gross!"

“I think I’m going to puke!” Chance spat as they looked at each other before cringing and trying to scrub their mouths off with their arms and paws.

Bonnie nearly fell into the chair laughing as Stu and Doc Stevens scrunched their muzzles and shook their heads. "Well I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore!" Bonnie laughed as she fanned herself, giggling again as she looked into the room and saw Chance and Judy making sour faces at each other. She fell back laughing as Judy grabbed him and curled around him again screaming. "WARM NOW!"

"O.K! JUST DON'T KISS ME AGAIN!"

Judy peeked up at him as he looked at her flat faced. "I’ll still be your girl, but that was sooo gross!"

"It wasn't a picnic for me either Tada."

“Keep me warm or I’ll do it again just to make you sick!" Chance hissed as he curled around the bunny and was jostling in laughter again as she nudged under his chin purring….

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick stared blankly out the window, watching Skye arguing with his parents. He rolled over as she looked in with her ears perked. “Why won’t you tell me what’s going on and let me see him!? He’s been here for three days!”

Nicholas sighed as Rose chewed her lip. He tipped his head as Jasper and Mel rounded the corner and Skye turned frowning as she watched them dip their ears back and turn back the way they’d come from. He motioned to the door and Skye narrowed her eyes as Rose looked in another direction. “He didn’t want to see you with anyone else around, and he’s…not the same Skye.”

“Not the same? What happened!”

Nicholas opened the door and Skye looked in watching Nick standing from the bed, clutching the rail as he tried to balance himself. He was wearing a pair of loose hospital pants and no shirt, turning slowly as she rushed in and curled around him. Nick hissed as she loosened her arms. “I thought I lost you. What did they do? Look at you, you’re…” she stood back flipping a piece of stray fur behind her ear as Nick cringed.

“Aside from beating the hell out of me, nothing.”

Skye looked at him and dropped her ears as he sighed. “Nick, why wouldn’t you let me see you before? I don’t ever want to have you gone like that again. I want you to…be with me all the time. Will you-” He grabbed her paws as they raised above his ears and looked at her in a way that made her heart ache as he shook his head. “Nick?”

“I can’t… be with you anymore Skye.”

“Why?” she asked as her lips trembled. “You said you loved me. Are you mad because of what happened? Do you think it’s my fau-

“No. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Then why? I don’t understand.”

Nick sighed as he pulled her paws down and ran his fingers over hers. “People who see species together that aren’t the same think they only want one thing, and it’s all they see. We would never be able to have kits. We’d never be able to go somewhere people wouldn’t be whispering about us. There would never be a place they wouldn’t see you as someone who doesn’t care about who you’re with.”

Skye rolled her eyes and laughed. “I don’t want kits and you know I don’t.”

“You might change your mind someday, and if you were with me, it would never happen. Someone would always be in the shadows, talking about us, you. Maybe try to hurt you again.”

“Nick, I can take care of myself and I don’t care about that kind of stuff! Who cares what everyone else thinks?”

“I do Skye.”

She yanked her paws away from him and tried to pull them over his ears again, and blinked as he grabbed her wrists and _growled_ at her.

Nicholas and Rose had backed away from the room to give them privacy and Finnick sighed as he leaned against a chair. As soon as they heard a sharp barking Nicholas stood and Finnick turned his head in a deep frown, watching Skye back out of the room with her paws held out as she started breathing faster. Rose stood as Nick stepped out of the room, growling as he walked on all fours. She tried to step forward and Nicholas stuck an arm in front of her shaking his head. She plastered her ears to her head as Nick barked another primal warning that set Skye’s fur on end as she backed away from the young red fox driving her away from him. Skye stumbled back several steps and glanced down the hall, watching Nicholas, Rose, and Finnick tilt their ears back and turn their eyes. She looked back at Nick and sobbed as he snapped at her again, and turned running down the hall as her chest caught fire.

Rose curled her brow watching her son’s head fall as Skye rushed behind a door that led to a flight of stairs. Her face curled as Nick dropped the aggressive stance and paced back to the door to his room on all fours, pulling himself off the floor as he leaned into the frame. Rose jumped as he slid down the door and curled around him as he rolled into silent sobbing. “I’m sorry. I’m Sorry. I’m sorry.” He kept whispering as Rose pulled him closer, fighting tears as he curled his arms around her and buried his head in her neck. She pet Nick’s ears looking back at Nicholas as he pulled his phone from his pocket, and the silver fox ticked his head to Finnick as Rose looked the direction Skye fled in. Finnick looked back at Nick and their mother, flipping his ears to his head before him and Nicholas rushed down another hall.

They came out in the parking lot looking around and Nicholas shook his head as he tried to call her. No answer was coming from Skye’s father either. He shook his head as Finnick tugged his pant leg and pointed to a little white car on the other side of the parking lot. Skye sat behind the wheel looking like she was trying to remember how to breathe as she heaved several times and wiped her face off. Nicholas and Finnick both tried to walk closer as she looked up, and she curled her lips at them as she revved the engine and threw the car in gear, peeling away from the parking lot as Nicholas cringed. Finnick sighed as he looked up and shook his head. The taillights were gone before they ever reached the doors again.

Several hours had passed when Roger finally made it home. He listened to the voicemails from Nick’s father several times and tried to call Skye, but she wasn’t picking up. When he pulled into the driveway his ears dipped back at the house being completely dark with her car parked in the garage. He took a breath and opened the door expecting to find a massacre, but everything was exactly the opposite. Almost pristine as he walked down the hallway and tapped on her door. “Angel?”

The door creaked as he slowly pushed it open and the arctic fox tipped his head sadly as she sat there, just staring at the guitar at the end of her bed. “I’m going to smash it.”

“No you aren’t.” Roger smiled as she looked at him snarling.

“HE BROKE UP WITH ME! HE THINKS ITS MY FAULT HE GOT HURT! HE CARES MORE ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK THAN WHAT I THINK OR HOW I FEEL!”

“Did he say that?”

“YES!”

“What exactly was it he said?” Roger asked in a soft voice as she stood up and started storming through her room ranting. He took a seat on her bed listening as she rattled off.

“THAT EVERYONE WOULD ALWAYS SEE US AS PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T CARE WHO WE WERE WITH! THAT HE CARED ABOUT WHAT EVERYONE ELSE THOUGHT! THAT I MIGHT CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT HAVING KITS WHEN HE KNOWS I CAN’T STAND THEM! THAT EVERYTIME WE WENT SOMEWHERE PEOPLE WOULD LOOK AT ME AND SEE-

“They would look at you? Or both of you?”

“WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE EVEN THOUGH HE SAID IT WASN’T MY FAULT! WHY COULDN’T HE JUST TELL ME HE DIDN’T WANT ME AND THAT HE DIDN’T LOVE ME ANYMORE!” Skye blinked as she turned back to her father still heaving.

“Because foxes don’t lie.” Roger smiled as he pat the spot on the bed next to him and she sat shaking her head when he shrugged.

“Dad, it doesn’t make any sense!”

Her father chuckled as Skye rubbed her temples, fighting not to growl as she glared at him. “He doesn’t blame you, and he cares about what others think for one reason Angel.” Skye shook her head and curled her lip as Roger looked at the ceiling. He reached up and placed a paw around her cheek as she looked at him through glassy eyes. “He’s still a prince in my book. That could have been you and not him. He knows that and wants to make sure it never happens.”

“He…broke up with me because he doesn’t want me to get hurt…because he loves me?” Roger nodded as she leaned into his paw. “Maybe I can get him back.”

“Heaven…” Skye looked up at him sucking in a few short breaths as he tipped his ears back. “Did he give you the impression he would change his mind?” Her father curled his lip in a sad tilt as Skye shook her head and let the tears spill.

“It wasn’t supposed to end like this! We had a future together! I don’t know what to do! It’s not fair!”

Roger curled around her as she fell into his chest sobbing. “I’m sorry. Sometimes love…just isn’t enough. People change their minds sometimes, and sometimes it just doesn’t work. You just have to breath and try to get past every little bump to make it to the next day.”

Skye sobbed as she shook her head. “HOW! I just lost my m-

“Angel.” She looked up hiccupping as her father sniffled. “I can try to be Jolly all the time, but I’m just ‘A Roger’. There’s a bright sky if you can get to the next day, and heaven is always around the corner, if you’re looking.” Skye fell apart as she got the message and Roger looked out the window letting his head rest over hers as he blew out a slow breath, wondering if the boy that had spent so much time in their home was doing any better….

Nicholas and Finnick stepped back to the door of Nick’s room and Rose looked at them trying to smile as she kept petting Nick’s ears. The silver fox looked at all the papers scattered everywhere and she waved a paw at them, keeping them at the door. She stood and pulled a blanket over his shoulder, running a paw over his ears as he sighed heavily.

“Rose, what is all that?” Nicholas asked as she looked back into the room and wilted.

“He wanted me to get as many city maps as I could find, he’s memorizing them so he never gets lot’s in the city again.” She stepped outside, closing the door quietly as she looked back at Nicholas and shook her head as she raised her paws again. “Did he talk to you about this?”

“He just said he needed to talk to her alone.” Nicholas looked down at Finnick and shook his head as the small fox shied his eyes. Rose bent to her knees and looked at Finnick sadly as she pressed a finger under his chin and pulled his eyes to her before she raised her paws to talk again. “Finnick? Is this why he didn’t want her to come see him? We could have maybe-”

“Yeah it is. Naw, you couldn’ta changed it.” Finnick huffed as he shook his head. “He made up his mind. I tried talkin to him. He said it was somethin he had to do alone. Just wanted us to stay outta the way.”

“Why?” she asked.

Finnick curled his shoulders and looked back at Nicholas before they fell again. “He said some things just don’t change. That there was nothin in the world that could make them change.” Nicholas blinked at Rose as she stood up and shook her head.

They let him sleep until one of the nurses brought the discharge papers and waited as Finnick stayed with him. The small fox chewed his lip watching him trying to pull his clothes on and cringed each time he hissed. Rose was quick to curl under one of his arms when he winced and he stopped shaking his head as he looked back into the room. “Nick?” Nicholas asked as he kept ticking his eyes around the room.

“I just…feel like I’m forgetting something, or I lost something….”

“I’ll check.” Finnick went back into the room digging through drawers as Rose helped Nick get to the elevator.

“Did he forget something?” Nicholas asked as Finnick looked up and shook his head.

“Naw, he just lost somethin Dad.”

Nicholas looked around shaking his head as Finnick stepped back into the hallway. “What did he lose? We should look for it if you know what it is. He’s not-”

Finnick looked back and watched Rose press the button for the elevator as Nick kept his head and eyes low. “Kinda obvious ain’t it Dad? He ain’t gonna find it here.”

Nicholas looked back where Finnick was watching Nick and sighed as his oldest son kept swallowing like he was fighting tears. He watched Finnick sigh and shake his head. “Ya can’t find your heart when you’re pushin it away or its runnin from ya Dad.”

Nicholas cringed as they walked to the elevator and helped Rose get Nick in before the doors started closing. He sighed again as she ran her muzzle along Nick’s face, collecting the tears he was trying to fight before he curled around his mother and closed his eyes….

\-------------------------------------------------

Judy bounced around and Stu was laughing as Chance grabbed her bag and stepped out the door chuckling. She jumped out giggling and froze, Bonnie and Stu cocking their heads as her nose twitched with a distant look on her face. “Bun Bun?”

Judy jolted as she looked back into the room. “I feel like I’m forgetting something.”

Chance shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I checked twice. Let’s get out of her Tada.” She sighed as they walked down the hall and stopped tipping her ears, all of them looking the same direction as she watched the elevator doors close and shivered. “Tada? What are you looking for?”

Judy shook herself frowning as Stu took to a knee and raised a brow. “Bunny Doe? Why so sad? We’re going home.”

Judy cringed as she looked back shaking her head. “ I don’t…”

She looked up raising her brows as Chance stepped in front of her, grinning as he leaned closer. Stu and Bonnie gasped as he licked the whole side of her face. She stood there with one eye ticking as Chance stood up grinning before she screamed. “Eww! You are so gross!” He laughed and took off with her chasing after him, screaming about how rabbits didn’t do that.

Stu and Bonnie looked at each other shaking their heads before they chuckled and followed them to the stairs….

**The Predator and Prey protection act in this story is a reference to hate crimes and laws. It doesn’t matter what Species, color, religion or heritage you are, we can all fall under the protection of these laws. Even animals have fallen into this category as Pit bulls were recently outlawed in many areas, prejudice against these dogs still runs in many communities but it was made law they could not be discriminated against simply because of their species. (You will find good and bad in all kinds of animals, humans included - because we are just animals and are no better than any other species on the planet.) It all depends on the personality of the ‘animal’, its disposition and how it was treated or raised- people acting ignorantly is when these laws need to be used.**

**‘A Roger’ – Roger- what is said when someone is sending a message to acknowledge it has been received.**

**The Kuiper Belt is the dark area of space where the ninth object in our solar system sits outside of. A place objects barely miss hitting each other. Pluto was declassified as a planet and made into a dwarf in 2006. Really ticked off a lot of people. It may not be a planet and may stay hidden in this dark area, but our system wouldn’t work the way it does without it where it is, or any other for that matter. As small a piece as it seems to be in our system, it still holds everything together. Is this relevant to the story- in a way, yes, as is the number nine and how they’re all connected. Hidden and not thought of as important- not usually the case.**

**Damn hard to write all this. I don’t think I need to explain what a ‘safe house’ is in underground terms. In the legal world it’s to keep someone hidden and safe - a safe is just a box no one can break into - or out of –**

**May be taking a break and diving into another section after actually managing to write all this-**


End file.
